Cabinet has agreed to defer commencement of network management by six months to 1 February 2023. (This will require an amendment to legislation currently going through the parliamentary process.)

The new network management process is intended to ensure high-quality, diverse, and sustainable early learning provision that meets the needs of communities across New Zealand. Government is concerned that there is an oversupply of early learning services in some areas, while other communities remain underserved.

From 1 February 2023, all prospective early childhood service providers will be required to obtain network management approval from the Minister before applying for a licence.

Cabinet’s decision to defer the commencement date of network management comes in response to concerns from the sector that the ability to prepare for the new requirements had been reduced due to building delays in the context of COVID-19 and the Delta and Omicron outbreaks.

The introduction of network management is one of the most significant changes for the early learning sector in over a decade.

For further information about network management, visit the dedicated network management webpage or contact your local Te Mahau office.

Network management – Ministry of Education

Local Te Mahau offices

From 11:59pm tomorrow Friday 11 March isolation requirements for positive cases of COVID-19 and their household contacts will be reduced from 10 to seven days.

This change has been made due to up-to-date public health advice: there is a decline in infectiousness of Omicron over time and in most cases, transmission occurs within seven days.

This reduction in the isolation period will ensure we maintain a balance between controlling the outbreak effectively and minimising the impacts of isolation requirements on people’s lives. 

Evidence also shows that the risk of re-infection within the first three months after someone has Omicron is very low. For this reason, recovered cases will no longer need to isolate again if they become a household contact within 90 days of having the virus. This has been extended from 28 days.

From 11.59pm Friday 11 March, all cases and household contacts who are currently isolating can end their period of isolation after Day 7. Those currently in isolation will not have to complete their Days 8, 9 and 10 of isolation.

See the information below for changes that will be in effect from Saturday 12 March.

Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate for seven days. 

Day 0 is the day symptoms began or the day the test was taken (whichever came first). Cases will isolate for a full seven days and are free to return to normal activities on Day 8, if they are not symptomatic. 

See ‘Support tamariki and staff to return’ further below for more information. 

Household contacts are required to isolate for the same seven days as the case. 

They can return to their normal activities on the same day as the first case in their household, so long as all test results have been negative, and they are not symptomatic.

Household contacts should continue to self-monitor for symptoms up to Day 10. 

Household contacts must take a self-administered rapid antigen test (RAT) test on Day 3 and Day 7 of the positive case’s isolation period. 

If symptoms develop at any time during isolation:

• the usual advice remains in place to undertake an additional RAT test 
• if the test is negative, and symptoms persist or worsen, test again 48 hours after that negative test 
• if symptoms resolve, there is no need for a further test, until the required Day 7 RAT test. If this is negative, they can return to daily life on Day 8. 

If a household contact has new symptoms on the day of release:

• they should undertake an additional RAT and stay at home while unwell  
• if that test is negative, and symptoms persist or worsen, test again after 48 hours. If symptoms resolve, there is no need for a further test. 

If a household contact has finished their period of isolation they do not need to return to isolation if a new case is identified in their household. However, this only applies for a period of seven days following their leaving isolation. 

Should a new household member be confirmed as a case eight or more days after the household contact has left isolation, then they must start a new period of self-isolation for seven days.

Anyone that has had COVID-19 or who is a contact of someone who has COVID-19 should avoid attending high-risk settings until ten days have passed since they were infected or exposed to the virus. These will include, for example, aged-care facilities, correctional facilities and hospitals (unless the individual is requiring care).

As always, undertake a RAT if symptomatic. If it is negative and symptoms persist or worsen, you should test again 48 hours after the negative test. If symptoms resolve, there is no need for a further test.  

• Anyone who is sick should stay home until they are well.
• When a child has respiratory symptoms, the advice is to stay at home and seek advice from their GP or Healthline. Staying home is key to controlling spread of any virus in an early learning service setting.
• Many children will have a long-lasting runny nose or cough after viral infections. If it is over 10 days since the onset of COVID symptoms and they are no longer feeling unwell, they are very unlikely to be infectious and can therefore return.
• However, if they are continuing to feel unwell or their symptoms are worsening after 10 days, they should not return and a GP review, or a call to Healthline, is recommended.

You cannot require evidence from cases or household contacts to support their return following their period of isolation.

In Phase 3, cases and household contacts will not be provided with an official release notification following the end of their period of isolation. 

You also cannot require evidence of a negative RAT or PCR test for household contacts (and cases will not be tested again, following their initial positive test).

Children and staff who test positive for COVID-19 are not required to self-isolate past seven days under public health regulations, but they should not return to an early learning service if they are still feeling unwell.

In the event there is a case of COVID-19 in your service, we have updated the letter templates you can choose to use.

There remains no obligation to undertake contact tracing when we are at Phase 3 of the Omicron response.

Letter template: Confirmed case of COVID-19 in an early learning service [DOCX, 21.2 KB]
Letter template: Contacts of a confirmed case of COVID-19 [DOCX, 17.9 KB]

The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine (Nuvaxovid) vaccine is now available for those aged 18 and older who cannot receive the Pfizer vaccine, and for people who would like a different option. Currently, Novavax is not approved in New Zealand as a booster vaccine.

Novavax vaccines – Ministry of Health

From today, those wanting the Novavax vaccine will be able to book their appointment to receive the Novavax through Book My Vaccine.

Book My Vaccine – Ministry of Health

Note, when Novavax is selected, the site will show a list of vaccination centres where Novavax can be given. Not all sites are equipped to deliver this vaccine.

If you or your staff are currently booked into first aid courses, we urge you to continue with those plans as much as possible. Many first aid providers are continuing to provide courses, and some are offering courses online.

However, we acknowledge that some courses are being cancelled and staff may not be able to attend due to COVID-19 illnesses.

On Thursday 10 March, the Secretary for Education exercised her power under Regulation 39A(3)(g) to allow a first aid certificate that expired on or after 10 March to be considered current/valid for the purposes of first aid requirements in the licensing criteria until Friday 10 June.

This is in recognition of the difficulty in accessing first aid refresher training course requirements of HS25 for centre-based services and ngā kōhanga reo, and HS22 for home-based services.

Service providers do not need to contact the Ministry for approval to access this exemption, however they must attest in writing to the current first aid knowledge of these staff and retain this documentation.