Health experts are concerned the traffic light system won't be enough when Omicron gets into the community and there's a large outbreak.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that it's a case of "when, not if" the variant arrives in New Zealand. Most recently, a MIQ worker has tested positive for the variant, but all of their household has tested negative, as have all of their close contacts who have been tested.
Seven locations of interest for this case have been identified and anyone who was there at the same time is required to self-monitor for symptoms. Two buses the worker travelled on are close contact locations that require self-isolation and testing.
Epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker is worried we may need to briefly go back to something like the high levels of the alert level system if Omicron does get out.
"We really need something that looks a lot more like the alert level system, we may need to move to something resembling alert level 3 for a period if we get a very intense outbreak, and that's simply to avoid it overwhelming the health system," he says.
He also says we need to delay Omicron's arrival to give as many people the booster vaccine as possible.
"Now is the time to really turn down the tap and reduce the number of infected people getting here."
Ardern says restrictions would be tightened if Omicron was found in the community.
"If we have Omicron in the community, we would look to move into red settings, as a way of trying to slow down the spread," she says.
"New Zealanders have had the break that we had hoped they would get, but we know that with Omicron it is a case of when, not if."
It comes as 16 new community cases of COVID-19 were reported in New Zealand on Monday, none of which were Omicron.
