We have been allocated an initial supply of 200,000 rapid antigen tests (RATs) to support the close contact exemption scheme. These RATs will be available through our Te Mahau offices. These numbers will be bolstered by a further 480,000 RAT tests within a week.

Rapid antigen tests should only be used as a last resort where all teachers and staff are deemed close contacts and there isn’t a suitable person who can supervise children on site.

There is risk involved in a close contact returning to work with children, so please think through carefully any use of rapid antigen tests for this purpose.

The close contact exemption scheme can be accessed in instances there are insufficient staff available to come onsite to supervise the children of those who are unable to have them at home or where staff are needed back on site to meet adult:child ratios for these children. 

To access this scheme staff must be:
•    a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case
•    fully vaccinated 
•    asymptomatic (have no symptoms).

The close contact exemption scheme does not apply to children.

Note, under the close contact exemption scheme, eligible staff will only be allowed to go to and from work. They must otherwise stay in their place of self-isolation. 

It is important to note that RATs are not as accurate as the PCR tests that New Zealand has relied on to date.

As such, you must first consider other suitable options before accessing the close contact exemption scheme and ensure a range of health measures (outlined below) are also in place.

We have prepared some staffing guidance to help you consider your options.

Guidance for staffing challenges in response to Omicron [PDF, 122 KB]

We also encourage you to contact parents and caregivers to understand how many children must attend (no evidence required) and other care options that may be available to them – the scheme is not intended to enable the attendance of all enrolled children.

Eligible staff members onsite will need to comply with the following health measures:

• wear a medical mask at all times (including wearing a medical mask before entry to the workplace and changing as needed during the day). Other workers in the same defined space must also wear a medical mask
• comply with any infection prevention and control protocols at work 
• if possible, travel solo or with a household member, to, from and around work or between jobs. If public transport is required to go to work, the RAT test should be taken (and a negative result returned) before leaving home 
• eat alone in a well-ventilated space, outdoors where possible 
• use a dedicated bathroom (if this is not possible, no others should be present in the bathroom while the worker is using it) 
• ensure that if symptoms develop at any stage they follow the public advice for close contacts with symptoms at actions for contacts.

To meet Public Health order requirements, services must register as a critical service through the MBIE website. 

• You will need to sign in using RealMe.
• When asked for your primary business activity, select ‘miscellaneous’ from the drop-down list.
• Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email with more information.

​​​​​​​Close contact exemption scheme registration portal – MBIE

Once registered, please contact your local Te Mahau office or education advisor and we will confirm eligibility and arrange for you to access the required number of test kits.

Te Mahau offices will monitor and re-order kits to ensure there are sufficient local supplies.

Te Mahau regional COVID-19 contact – Ministry of Education

• Get a COVID-19 booster shot.
• Continue to mask, scan and pass wherever you go.
• Maintain good hygiene and physical distancing.
• Stay home if unwell.

Information on how to use a rapid antigen test can be found on the Ministry of Health website.

How to take a rapid antigen test (RAT) – Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health will be regularly updating their rapid antigen test information, which includes video demonstrations for the approved test kits.

Rapid antigen testing (RAT) – Ministry of Health

Two key changes have been made to contact tracing processes in early learning.

1. There is no longer a two-hour limit in situations where a positive case has been wearing a mask. Where the positive case has been wearing a mask, close contacts will only be identified where there may have been direct contact with respiratory secretions (kissing, spitting, hongi, singing, shouting, coughing, sneezing or physical play in close proximity).  If you have identified staff or children as close contacts since Friday 18 February based on the mask being worn for longer than two hours you can now reclassify these as casual contacts unless direct contact with respiratory secretions has occurred.
2. Those who have not yet received a result from their day five test can return to their service on day 11 if they are showing no symptoms. A reminder that close contact and positive cases are no longer formally receiving ‘release’ notifications when the self-isolation period has ended. The Ministry of Health has reminded testing stations that anyone identified as a close contact is still required to get tested, regardless of whether they are symptomatic.

Note that if the child or staff member has been identified as a household close contact of a case, they must still receive their negative day eight test prior to return to their service.

You will likely already have existing plans for responding to staffing challenges as a result of Omicron.

We have prepared some guidance around staffing requirements and options for you to consider as part of your planning.

COVID-19 Protection Framework for early learning services – Ministry of Education

If you have questions about staffing requirements or if you need support, please contact your local Te Mahau office. We want to work with you to ensure you can continue operating while keeping children and staff safe.

Te Mahau regional COVID-19 contact – Ministry of Education

We acknowledge that these are challenging times for many service providers with staff absences at higher levels than normal.

We encourage employers to seek their own advice about managing leave payments throughout this period, noting that good faith obligations continue to apply in all employment relationships.

There is some guidance available from Employment New Zealand that you may find helpful:

Leave and pay entitlements during COVID-19.

However, in general terms, an employee should only take sick leave if they are sick, their spouse or partner is sick, or someone who depends on them for care is sick. 

Where workers are self-isolating because they are a close contact or household contact, and can't work from home, leave options will be determined by the contractual arrangements in place and any additional provisions offered by employers.

This could include considering special paid leave, annual holidays, long-service leave, other payments (including partial payments) by the employer for a certain period of time, or any combination of the above.

Employers may be able to access the COVID-19 Leave support scheme to help with these payments.

The Government has extended the increased income limits for hardship assistance until Thursday 30 June.

This means more casual or part-time workers, or people who aren’t already getting financial support, will continue to be eligible for help with their immediate or emergency costs. This is especially important for those who need direct help as part of the COVID-19 welfare response.

People new to MSD can check these links to see the new income limits:

Special Needs Grant – Work and Income

Recoverable Assistance Payment – Work and Income

Advance Payment of Benefit – Work and Income

Check what you might get guide – MSD 

They’ll be asked some easy questions about their costs, then MSD will let them know about any Work and Income payments they may be able to get.

Alternatively, if they’d like to talk with MSD, they can call:

• 0800 559 009 for working age
• 0800 552 002 for over-65s
• 0800 88 99 00 for students

Interpreters are available.

Note, income limits for Emergency Housing Special Needs Grants, Transition to Work Grants and the Course Participation Allowance aren’t changing.

We recommend you regularly review the expiry dates for first aid certificates to ensure you have booked courses in plenty of time in case of unforeseen circumstances at your service.

First aid providers are still offering courses some that can be done online.

At present, the usual rules around first aid requirements apply. That is, a person cannot be counted as first aid-qualified once their certificate has expired.

Home-based care in a home where someone is isolating