See what to consider and the steps to take if you or one of your workers test positive for COVID-19.
Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms must get a test. If you or one of your employees starts showing symptoms, get a COVID-19 test and head home while you wait for your results.
RATs are available for free as part of the public health response, for people who are symptomatic, isolating, or part of the close contact exemption scheme (limited to household contacts at Phase Three).
If you want to use RATs in your business for surveillance testing or for testing outside of the close contact exemption scheme you need to pay for them and source them independently.
If you or one of your employees test positive for COVID-19, you’ll need to isolate for 7 days after your symptoms first occurred, or for 7 days after receiving your positive test result, whichever ends first. However, if a person is isolating and still has symptoms after 7 days, they are advised to stay home until 24 hours after symptoms resolve.
The previous close contact definition no longer applies. Only household contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases need to self-isolate. Household contacts need to:
Most people with COVID-19, especially those who are double vaccinated and boosted, are likely to have a mild to moderate illness and will be able to recover at home. The Ministry of Health has information on how to look after yourself if you have COVID-19, isolating at home, and the help and resources that are available.
If one of your employees is a confirmed case of COVID-19 they have a responsibility to let you know.
Although Phase Three of the Omicron Response primarily focusses on cases and household contacts it’s still a good idea to create a list of all known staff, contractors and visitors who have been in the same space as the person with COVID-19 while they were infectious.
You shouldn’t ask employees who are required to isolate to come into work unless they are eligible for the bubble of one or close contact exemption scheme.
If you have employees who can’t work from home and are self-isolating because of COVID-19, or because they’re waiting for test results, you may be able to apply for financial support to pay them.
If you’re a viable, ongoing business and you’ve suffered a revenue drop of 40% or more because of COVID-19, you may also be eligible for a COVID-19 Support Payment.
If you have a business continuity plan for dealing with COVID-19 cases at your businesses, put it in action. It could include things like:
There are resources and support available to help you and your employees look after your mental health and wellbeing during this stressful time.
The Ministry of Health has the latest health, vaccination and isolation advice and guidance during the Omicron response.
Unite against COVID-19 has the latest information about what the general public needs to know about COVID-19 and Phase Three of the Omicron response.