Two flights into Christchurch, cafe at The Palms listed as 'close contact' locations

Anyone seated in rows 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 on Flight NZ5803 from Tauranga to Christchurch on Saturday, February 12, from 11am to 1pm; and anyone on Flight JQ239 from Auckland to Christchurch on Thursday, February 10, from 6.50pm to 8.15pm are considered close contacts of a Covid-19 case.

Passengers in these seats should self isolate and get a test immediately and again on day 5 after they were exposed. They should also record the visit online or contact Healthline on 0800 358 5453 so contact tracers can get in touch. Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health.

It comes after a Christchurch shopping centre cafe was listed earlier today as a 'close contact' Covid-19 location of interest.

Anyone at Robert Harris Cafe in The Palms shopping centre, off New Brighton Rd, Shirley, on Saturday, February 12, from noon to 1pm, is considered a close contact of a Covid-19 case. They must also self-isolate and get tested immediately and on day 5 after they were exposed at this location of interest.

Meanwhile, anyone who visited the Misceo Cafe & Bar Bryndwr, 251 Clyde Rd, on Saturday, February 12, between 6.30pm and 8pm should self-monitor for Covid symptoms and get a test. However, they are not considered close contacts.

• 744 new cases today, including nine in Canterbury
• NZ to move to phase 2
• Locations of interest

It comes as New Zealand prepares to enter phase 2 of the Government's Omicron response from 11.59pm tonight, despite surging case numbers.

There were a record 981 new Covid-19 cases in the community on Monday, including four in Canterbury and one in South Canterbury.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed said phase 2 will mean "greater self-management" of Covid cases.

But what does the second part of the strategy include?

According to Ardern, self-isolation periods for positive Covid cases and close contacts will be reduced and there will be greater use of rapid antigen tests to get critical workers back to work faster.

The objective is to slow down the spread and to protect vulnerable communities - those who are at greater risk of severe illness, as stated on the Unite Against Covid-19 website.

Self-isolation periods will reduce from 14 to 10 days for cases and from 10 to seven days for contacts.

Household contacts will actively be managed by contact tracing services, with close contacts requiring a PCR test on day 5.

Alongside PCR tests, rapid antigen tests will be integrated to implement a return-to-work policy where asymptomatic contacts who are critical workers can return to work following a negative RAT test.

These people include healthcare, food supply and infrastructure workers who are key to Covid-19 response.

Cases will be notified via text message and be directed to an online self-investigation tool that will focus on high-risk exposures, further information will be provided by email and where required phone-based interviews will take place.

Last month at the beginning of New Zealand's Omicron outbreak, the Government put into action the three-phased plan to combat the spread of the virus in the community.

The country moved back into the red traffic light setting on January 23 which then became phase 1 three days later alongside the Government's three-phase plan announcement.

Director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said a move to phase 2 would be triggered by case numbers, the rate by which case numbers increase by and pressure on contact tracing.

The system would be adjusted to focus on identifying those who are at greater risk of severe illness.

"What we would expect is that phase would be [brought in] before we hit 1000 cases a day, but we will be taking into consideration a whole range of factors."

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(Published)