A range of financial support is available again for businesses now that New Zealand is moving into the red COVID-19 traffic light setting.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Sunday morning that all of Aotearoa will go into the setting as a result of an Omicron outbreak. Nine cases in the Nelson-Marlborough region are confirmed to have this variant and there is no clear lead on the index case that links these people to the border, which prompted the decision.
The cases are a single family that flew to Auckland to attend a wedding and other events on the weekend of January 15 and 16.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson says the traffic light system, officially called the COVID Protection Framework, is designed to allow businesses to open at red. But it's likely there'll be economic disruptions on the supply side, he says, since this is what's been seen overseas. This means financial support will initially be for those who aren't able to work because they have COVID, need to isolate because they're a contact, or while they wait for test results.
The support in place for this stage of an Omicron outbreak is the Leave Support Scheme.
"This is available to employers, and also includes self-employed people, to help pay their employees who've been advised to self-isolate because of COVID and can't work at home during that period. It's paid at the same rates as the wage subsidy was previous, that being $600 per week per full-time worker and $359 per week per part-time worker," Robertson says.
"We also have the short-term absence payment. This is a payment available for businesses, again including self-employed people, to help pay their employees who cannot work from home while they wait for the result of a COVID-19 test. That is paid at $359 per eligible worker."
He says there will inevitably be some disruption as a result of the Omicron outbreak, although they're trying to get in front of it. He advises businesses to have continuity plans in place, get boosted, and have someone who can help out if you need to self-isolate.
There will be a three-stage response to the Omicron outbreak, Ardern announced. These are unrelated to the traffic light system and will instead dictate how the Government treats testing, contact tracing, and self-isolation requirements for COVID-19 cases.
The first stage is when cases are fewer than 1000 a day. This will be a "stamp it out" phase that has the same settings now as for cases and contacts. COVID-19 tests will also be done by a professional, rather than at home.
The second stage is a "transition" stage where the focus is on those who are more at risk of being severely ill.
Ardern says the Government will be more comfortable using rapid antigen tests when there are more cases. These tests are easier to conduct but aren't as accurate.
The third stage is when daily cases are in the thousands. There will be changes to contact tracing, the definition of close contacts, and isolation requirements.
Ardern says more details on this will be announced on Wednesday, but she doesn't expect New Zealand to reach the third stage for a couple of weeks yet.
