District health boards (DHBs) will be taking over the health services at New Zealand's managed isolation and quarantine facilities which are currently provided by contractors.
Health Minister Chris Hipkins announced changes during Tuesday's COVID-19 update, with DHBs taking over the services from August 1.
"Questions have been particularly raised about the risk nurses working in managed isolation and quarantine. Nurses and other medical staff are trained professionals well-versed in infection prevention and control, and particularly in the COVID-19 context. But there is no room for complacency," Hipkins said.
"I expect the DHBs to employ dedicated workforces in those facilities even if they rotate them in and out for periods of time."
Workers will also have to adhere to stricter protocols including a stand down similar to that currently followed by aircraft crew and must return a negative coronavirus test before working elsewhere.
"Within the managed isolation and quarantine facilities, nurses and other staff have access to appropriate PPE, they follow sound personal hygiene practices and they keep to physical distancing requirements," Hipkins said.
"They also have regular health checks and are regularly offered tests for COVID-19 even if they are not displaying symptoms."
Managed isolation, quarantine (MIQ) and border workers are also expected to keep detailed records of close contacts for potential contract tracing requirements.
"This is of course what we are asking all members of the public to do but I have asked the Ministry of Health to check those protocols are being very rigorously followed by anyone
working in an MIQ facility or working at the border."
New Zealand currently has 21 active cases of COVID-19, all of which were caught at the border.
There has been no detected community transmission for 88 days.
