Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga
The Government has decided to keep the current seven days of mandatory Covid-19 isolation, as well as masking in healthcare settings.
The decision was reached after a Cabinet meeting today.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he expects to reach a period where no mandatory isolation period is needed, but that time is not now.
Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall also gave a statement.
“We know isolation for COVID-19 cases is the best way to break the chain of transmission to make sure people aren’t passing on the virus and getting other people sick,” Verrall said.
“Isolation remains effective in managing spread and keeping case numbers down, and it also helps reduce pressure on our hospital services.
How do NZ’s Covid-19 rules now compare to other countries?
“But we need to make sure our settings are right, and look at examples of what is working around the world. A test to return to work rule for lower risk or mild or asymptomatic cases could help reduce the strain on some workforces this winter.
“Cabinet will consider advice on this within the next two months.
“Wearing face masks in healthcare settings remain an important tool to reduce your own risk and also the risk for others, especially those more vulnerable or susceptible to the virus. These settings will remain for now.
“I also urge those eligible for the new Covid-19 bivalent vaccine to get themselves vaccinated, and boosted when eligible,”
Hipkins told Breakfast today that ministers would consider case numbers, impacts on the health system, and disruption to people’s ability to participate in the economy when making decisions on Covid-19 settings.
Daily Covid figures have shown a relatively stable trend of new cases being reported to authorities over the past few weeks.
Background
Prior to the announcement, public health experts have been reluctant to see a significant loosening of isolation requirements for people who test positive for Covid-19.
Epidemiologist Michael Baker told 1News that keeping the legal requirement to isolate added “considerable weight” to people’s judgment calls about whether to stay at home.
“It does add considerable weight to know that this is an expectation. In many ways, it’s just how we treat the roads. To make roads safe, we have laws and regulations and that way, we can share roads in relative safety.”
Speaking to Stuff, Covid-19 spread modeller Michael Plank said that an easing of the seven-day isolation rule was “probably going to happen sooner or later”.
Meanwhile, Auckland University microbiologist Siousixe Wiles told RNZ she supported a shift to a “test-to-release” policy whereby people could leave isolation after five days if they had a negative test result.
Funding for the Covid-19 response has also been significantly reduced with some staff reassigned or terminated in the past year, Newsroom reports.
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
Kuo tu’utu’uni ‘a e pule’anga ke kei hoko atu pe hono tauhi ‘a e tu’utu’uni ke fakamavahe’i ‘aho fitu ha taha ma’u ‘e he Koviti pea pehe ke tui ‘a e masaki ‘i he ngaahi feitu’u ngāue’anga ‘o e mo’ui’.
Ko e tu’utu’uni ‘eni ne aofangatuku hili ha fakataha kapineti he ‘aho ni.
Na’e pehe ‘e he Palemia Chris Hipskin oku ne faka’ānau ‘e a’u pe ki ha taimi ‘e ‘ikai toe tu’utu’uni’i ‘a e fakamavahe’i ka ‘oku ‘ikai ko e taimi ni.
Na’a ne pehe ko e fakamavahe’ o e ngaahi keisi Koviti ‘a e founga lelei taha ke vete’aki ‘a e hohoko ‘a e pipihi ke fakapapau’i ‘e ‘ikai lava paasi ‘a e vailasi he kakai pea ke puke ai ha kakai kehe.
Na’a ne toe pehe ‘oku ola lelei ‘a hono ngaue’aki ‘o e fakamavahe’i pea mo hono ta’ota’ofi hifo ‘o e fika pea ‘oku ne toe tokoni foki ‘i hono fakasi’isi’i ‘a hono hoha’asia ‘o e ngaahi sevesi ‘a e fale mahaki.
Kuopau foki ke fakapapau’i ‘oku tonu pe ‘etau fokotu’utu’u pea tau sio ki he ngaahi fakatata mei mamani.
E fakakaukau’i ‘e Kapineti ha fale’i heni ‘i he mahina ‘e ua ka hoko mai.
Ko hono kei tui ‘a e masaki he ngaahi feitu’u ngaue ki he mo’ui ‘oku kei mahu’inga ia ke fakasi’isi’i ‘a e fakatu’utamki ki he kakai kehe tautefito ki he kakai lavelaveili mo matangofua ki he vailasi.
‘Oku ou fakalotolahi’i kimoutolu ‘oku lava ke huhu malu’i pehe ki he pusitaa ke mou huhu malu’i leva.
Ki mu’a he fanongonongo na’e ‘ikai fuu loto ‘a e kau taukei he mo’ui ke fakangaloku leva ‘a e fiema’u ke fakamavahe’i ki he kakai ‘oku tesi positivi ‘i he Koviti.
Pehe ‘e he Epitemolosisi ko Michael Baker ki he 1News oku tokoni ki he kakai ‘a hono kei pukepuke fiema’u ke fakamavahe’i ‘a e kau puke.
E lava pe ke vave ‘a hono fakangofua o e fakamavahe’i, fakatatau ki he lau ‘a e modeller ko Michael Plank
