Welcome to the next phase of Omicron.
With 981 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, the Prime Minister says New Zealand will move to phase 2 of the Government's Omicron plan at 11:59pm on Tuesday.
Phase 2 means isolation requirements will be reduced, confirmed cases will get a text instead of a call about their positive result and critical workers can return negative tests to keep working. Cases will also have to do their own contact tracing - with the Government's efforts now switching to focus on the vulnerable.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the next phase of the Omicron response will be nothing Kiwis have seen before.
"New Zealanders will see more COVID in the community and a period of disruption and I note of risk - it'll be nothing like we've experienced to date."
Phase 2 means more than 1000 cases per day - so isolation requirements are being shaved down. A case now has to isolate for 10 days and close contacts for seven.
But critical workforces can use the Government's rapid antigen tests to keep working if they're a close contact.
"Here though I would encourage everybody to develop a self-isolation plan," Ardern said. "This includes identifying a buddy who can drop off essential items if needed."
Phase 2 also means taking the foot off contact tracing. Instead people with a positive PCR nasal test will get a text rather than a call.
They'll then have to go through everyone they've come into close contact with and give them the bad news - they'll have to isolate too.
"People who are particularly vulnerable - that's older people, people with underlying illness need to think about reducing their social contacts," University of Otago epidemiologist Michael Baker said.
Meanwhile, Ardern said the way to handle the Omicron outbreak is still the same as previous outbreaks.
"Get tested, get vaccinated and isolate if you're sick."
