Critical Organisations and Facilities Specific Guidance final draft

RAPID ANTIGEN TESTING CRITICAL ORGANISATIONS AND FACILITIES SPECIFIC GUIDANCE Introduction Testing is part of a suite of tools used to protect New Zealanders and to help respond to COVID-19 in our communities.

Rapid antigen tests (RATs) are a type of test which can be carried out at home or with minimal support required AND can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by identifying infectious people.

Part of New Zealand’s response to Omicron will mean an increased use of rapid antigen tests for critical workers. Using RATs will help ensure that sufficient workers are available to maintain critical infrastructure and supply chains throughout the Omicron outbreak.

As New Zealand responds to an Omicron outbreak, the priority shifts from finding every individual case to protecting priority populations from severe disease and death, ensuring equity and limiting the impact on the country through the protection of critical workforces and infrastructure.

The information contained in this document, relates to critical organisations and facilities and their workers, who that can access the Close Contact Exemption Scheme. It currently provides specific testing guidance for the following sectors: • • •

Aged Residential Care (ARC) and Hospices Community Residential Care Homes Corrections Youth Justice facilities

CRITICAL SERVICES AND CLOSE CONTACT EXEMPTION SCHEME In order to keep the New Zealand operating as Omicron spreads, critical services and organisations are being provided with a pathway to keep their critical workers to return to their place of work in the event they are exposed to someone with COVID-19. This is known as the Close Contact Exemption Scheme This Scheme will come into effect when the country moves to Phase Two of the Omicron strategy. The scheme will allow critical workers to be exempted from Health Orders requiring them to isolate due to being close contacts if they follow certain public health rules. The exemption is only to clear workers to go to work and return to their place of isolation – not to go anywhere else like the supermarket, petrol station, or a family/friend’s place.

Below are some useful links to find out further information on rapid antigen testing and critical workers Guidance Critical Health Services Rapid Antigen Testing Testing and returning to work during Omicron

Guidance for the Supervision of Rapid Anitgen Testing

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AGED RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILITIES AND HOSPICES Aged Residential Care (ARC) and hospices are part of the critical health services and workforces across all phases of the Omicron response.

The purpose of testing in these settings are to: • Keep residents safe and connected to family and whanau • To keep ARCs and hospices operating by enabling their workers to return to work • To prevent or minimise the spread of COVID-19 in the facility.

Symptomatic and Asymptomatic testing of the workforce and residents:

Throughout each of the three phases there will be a combination of both PCR and RAT testing, for symptomatic and asymptomatic staff and residents. Refer to the table below for the phases and requirements for testing (either PCR or RAT).

Testing of visitors: Across all three phases of the Omicron outbreak, symptomatic visitors and those who are identified close contacts are expected to stay away from ARC and hospice facilities.

Testing plan in ARC facilities (and hospices) across the phases PHASE 1 STAFF

RESIDENTS

PHASE 2

PHASE 3

Symptomatic: PCR

Symptomatic: PCR

Symptomatic: RAT

Asymptomatic but close contact: 10 days isolation with PCR days 5 and 8 to return to work

Asymptomatic close contact: Daily RAT to return to work for 7 days (10 if a household contact)

Asymptomatic close contact: Daily RAT to return to work for 7 days (10 if a household contact) Asymptomatic surveillance testing of all resident-facing staff (not close contact); Daily RAT.

Symptomatic: PCR

Asymptomatic surveillance testing of all resident-facing staff (not close contact) in locations where there is an increase in community prevalence; Daily RAT. Symptomatic: PCR

Asymptomatic but close contact: PCR

Asymptomatic but close contact: PCR

Asymptomatic but close contact: RAT or PCR by clinical discretion.

Symptomatic: PCR

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VISITORS

Symptomatic: no entry to ARC PCR & self-isolate if positive

Symptomatic: no entry to ARC PCR & self-isolate if positive until a negative test result.

Symptomatic: no entry to ARC; RAT & self-isolate if positive until a negative test result.

Asymptomatic but close contact: no entry to ARC; should be selfisolating.

Asymptomatic but close contact: no entry to ARC; should be selfisolating.

Asymptomatic but close contact: no entry to ARC; should be self-isolating.

Asymptomatic not close contact; no testing

Asymptomatic not close contact: Option of requiring a RAT, particularly where high rates of community transmission.

Asymptomatic not close contact: Option of requiring a negative RAT for all visitors.

The use of RATs in ARC and hospices Rapid antigen testing for critical workers, such as healthcare workers is expected to be self-testing due to the scale of the testing that will be required – refer to RATS Critical Worker guidelines.

In Phase two, a positive RAT in a worker will require a PCR test to confirm the result. They must isolate until the PCR result has been confirmed. If the PCR sample is negative, this will be confirmed as negative. In this case the worker returns to work as the PCR is a more reliable test. A negative RAT will be taken as a negative result unless the worker develops symptoms (at which point a PCR test is advised).

If a RAT is a false negative in phase two, and the worker or resident is actually infected, the infection is likely to be picked up in the next test they undertake. This would be the following day, if they are testing daily as part of a “test to return” regime or part of daily surveillance testing.

Important to note that RATs will be used alongside a requirement for staff to be fully vaccinated and boosted, with strong infection prevention controls and PPE.

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COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES Community residential care homes are part of the critical health services and workforces and comes across all phases of the Omicron response.

The purpose of testing in these settings are to: • Keep residents safe and connected to family and whanau • To keep community residential care homes operating by enabling their workers to return to work • To prevent or minimise the spread of COVID-19 in the facility.

Symptomatic and Asymptomatic testing of the workforce and residents:

Throughout each of the three phases there will be a combination of both PCR and RAT testing, for symptomatic and asymptomatic staff and residents. Refer to the table below for the phases and requirements for testing (either PCR or RAT).

Testing of visitors: Across all three phases of the Omicron outbreak, symptomatic visitors and those who are identified close contacts are expected to stay away from community residential care facilities.

Testing plan in community residential care homes across the phases STAFF

RESIDENTS

PHASE 1 Symptomatic: PCR

PHASE 2 Symptomatic: PCR1

PHASE 3 Symptomatic: Daily RAT (and should not be working).

Asymptomatic but close contact: 10 days isolation with PCR days 5 and 8 to return to work

Asymptomatic close contact: Daily RAT to return to work for 7 days (10 if a household contact)

Asymptomatic surveillance testing of all resident-facing staff (not close contact); Daily RAT.

Symptomatic: PCR

Asymptomatic surveillance testing of all resident-facing staff (not close contact) in locations where there is an increase in community prevalence, up to a daily RAT. Symptomatic: PCR2

Asymptomatic but close contact: PCR

Asymptomatic but close contact: PCR

Asymptomatic but close contact: RAT or PCR by clinical discretion.

Asymptomatic close contact: Daily RAT to return to work for 7 days (10 if a household contact)

Symptomatic: PCR

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Facilities might want to recommend that a worker does a self-administered RAT at home if PCR results are likely to be delayed such as in rural locations where PCR results take longer.

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Facilities might also want to recommend that a resident receives a supervised RAT if PCR results are likely to be delayed in rural locations where PCR results take longer.

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VISITORS

Symptomatic: no entry to residence; PCR & selfisolate if positive.

Symptomatic: no entry to ARC; PCR & self-isolate if positive until a negative test result.

Symptomatic: no entry to ARC; RAT & self-isolate if positive until a negative test result.

Asymptomatic but close contact: no entry to residence; should be selfisolating.

Asymptomatic but close contact: no entry to residence; should be self-isolating.

Asymptomatic but close contact: no entry to residence; should be selfisolating.

Asymptomatic not close contact; no testing

Asymptomatic not close contact: Option of requiring a RAT, particularly in locations where there are high rates of community transmission.

Asymptomatic not close contact: option of requiring a negative RAT for all visitors.

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CORRECTIONS FACILITIES INCLUDING YOUTH JUSTICE FACILITIES Corrections facilities (including youth justice facilities) are part of the critical workforces and comes across all phases of the Omicron response.

The purpose of testing in these settings are to: • Keep residents safe and connected to family and whanau • To keep Corrections facilities (including youth justice facilities) operating by enabling their workers to return to work • To prevent or minimise the spread of COVID-19 in the facility.

Symptomatic and Asymptomatic testing of the workforce and residents:

Throughout each of the three phases there will be a combination of both PCR and RAT testing, for symptomatic and asymptomatic staff and people in the care of corrections. Refer to the table below for the phases and requirements for testing (either PCR or RAT).

Testing of visitors: Across all three phases of the Omicron outbreak, symptomatic visitors and those who are identified close contacts are expected to stay away from corrections and youth justice facilities.

Testing plan in corrections facilities (including youth justice facilities) across the phases STAFF

PHASE 1 Symptomatic: PCR

PHASE 2 Symptomatic: PCR

Asymptomatic but close contact: 10 days isolation with PCR days 5 and 8 to return to work (facility may require additional period of isolation depending on circumstances).

Asymptomatic close contact: Daily RAT if worker is permitted to return to work for 7 days (10 if a household contact) (facility may require additional period of isolation depending on circumstances).

Asymptomatic surveillance testing where facility is managing a positive case; 1 x per week PCR.

Asymptomatic surveillance testing of all people in Corrections care-facing staff (not close contact) in locations where there is an increase in community prevalence, up to daily RAT.

PHASE 3 Symptomatic: Daily RATs while symptomatic (assume probable case). Do not work while symptomatic.

Asymptomatic close contact: Daily RAT if worker is permitted to return to work for 7 days (10 if a household contact) (facility may require additional period of isolation depending on circumstances).

Asymptomatic surveillance testing of all people in Corrections carefacing staff (not close contact); Daily RAT.

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PEOPLE IN THE CARE OF CORRECTIONS

VISITORS (Includes contractors)

Symptomatic: PCR

Symptomatic: RAT or PCR by clinical discretion.

Symptomatic: Daily RAT and isolate while symptomatic.

Asymptomatic but close contact: PCR PCR testing for new arrivals; day 0, 5 and 12, plus RAT on day 0

Asymptomatic but close contact: PCR while they are still available with a RAT as an option when not.

PCR testing for new arrivals; day 0, 5 and 12 plus RAT on day 0.

Symptomatic: no entry permitted; PCR & selfisolate if positive until a negative test result.

Asymptomatic but close contact: RAT or PCR by clinical discretion.

RAT for new arrivals.

Asymptomatic but close contact: no entry permitted; should be self-isolating.

Asymptomatic but close contact: no entry permitted; should be selfisolating.

Asymptomatic not close contact: Option of requiring a negative RAT, particularly in locations where there are high rates of community transmission.

Asymptomatic not close contact: option of requiring a negative RAT for all visitors.

Symptomatic: no entry permitted; PCR & self-isolate if positive.

Asymptomatic but close contact: no entry permitted; should be selfisolating.

Asymptomatic not close contact; no testing

Symptomatic: no entry permitted; RAT & self-isolate if positive until a negative test result.

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