COVID-19 care in the community

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COVID-19 care in the community

Most people with COVID-19 are likely to have mild to moderate illness. They will be able to self-isolate and fully recover in their own home, or in suitable alternative accommodation, with support from local healthcare providers.

Care in the Community is a national framework developed by the Ministry of Health in consultation with the health and disability and welfare sector. The framework sets expectations and provides central guidance to ensure people with COVID-19 receive the health, welfare and wellbeing support they need.

COVID-19 Readiness Checklist [PDF, 121 KB] What to do at Red, Orange and Green

It is only a matter of time before a positive case of COVID-19 is in your community. Being ready for getting COVID-19 is about making sure you and your household have a plan and know what to do. It will mean your whānau and community can help each other if needed.

Here are some simple practical things you can do now in case you, or someone in your household becomes unwell, or if COVID-19 becomes widespread in our community.

How to prepare your household for COVID-19

If you test positive for COVID-19, your doctor or a health professional will call you to discuss:

what it means to have COVID-19 and what you need to do
all the people you have had contact with recently
if you will move into a quarantine facility or self-isolate at home.

You will need to isolate for at least:

14 days while you recover from COVID-19 and be symptom-free for 72 hours.

You can isolate in your home or suitable alternative accommodation. This could be another property that you have access to, or are provided, that is more suitable for self-isolation than where you usually live. You can self-isolate there instead.

Anyone in your household will need to remain in isolation for at least 10 days after you have been released as a case. This means they will need to be in isolation for longer than you as the case will. Household contacts are considered Close Contacts.

While you are isolating at home, you will have a dedicated contact person check up on you and make sure that you and your whānau are safe.

It is normal to feel nervous or unsure about what the next few weeks will look like.

Information to help you if you test positive for COVID-19.

Getting your results

Contact tracing

Going into isolation

What your household members need to do

If you are away from home

Care while you are in isolation

Downloads

Support for if you get COVID-19 [PDF, 227 KB]

Self-isolating timeline [PDF, 90 KB]

Guidance for Casual Contacts [PDF, 200KB]

Guidance for Close Contacts [PDF, 200KB]

Guidance for Household Close Contacts [PDF, 200KB]

More information

COVID-19 testing

Help and support if you test positive for COVID-19

What happens after you test positive

If you test positive for COVID-19 while travelling

Video: How to use a Pulse Oximeter

View the How to use a Pulse Oximeter video on YouTube

Self-isolation means staying at home and taking common-sense precautions to avoid close contact with those you live with. You will get instructions and advice directly from a public health official that is specific to your individual situation and your needs.

What it means to self-isolate at home

When you can expect health and wellbeing checks

If you need to go into hospital

What to expect after you have had COVID-19

Getting extra support if you have COVID-19 or are self-isolating

General advice for self-isolating at home

Stay home. Do not go to work, school or public places — even to exercise.
Limit contact with others you live with — for example, sleep by yourself and limit the time you spend in shared spaces. If you cannot, you should stay at least 2 metres apart and wear a face covering that covers your nose and mouth when near others.
Do not share items with others in your household — for example, dishes, toothbrushes, and towels.
Do your own laundry.
Do not have visitors in your home.
Clean and disinfect surfaces regularly. This includes items frequently touched like door handles, light switches and phones.
We recommend opening windows to increase fresh air flow inside. The risk of spreading COVID-19 is highest in crowded and poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
If you need food, prescriptions or essential items get friends or family to leave them on your doorstep, or get supplies delivered.

Self-isolating: Apartments, temporary or holiday accommodation

If you are self-isolating in an apartment building, multi-unit dwelling, temporary or holiday accommodation, you should self-isolate for the time period directed by public health and follow all the same health advice as applies to people self-isolating at home (please see above).

There is additional guidance for occupants of apartments and Body Corporate Committees about how to prepare for and manage an apartment building where a COVID-19 case is self-isolating.

Guidance – Isolating in Apartments (PDF, 607 KB)

There is also additional guidance for people isolating in temporary or holiday accommodation, and for managers and owners of holiday, emergency, transitional, public and temporary housing.

Guidance – Isolating in temporary or holiday accommodation (PDF, 423 KB)

This guidance is based on international guidelines and best current evidence available as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves. Further updates may be made as new evidence emerges and in response to the level of community transmission in New Zealand.

Information for people self-isolating in apartments, temporary or holiday accommodation (PDF, 88 KB)

Pay attention to how you are feeling and look out for worsening symptoms. If you need urgent medical help or cannot breathe properly, call 111 immediately. Tell them you have COVID-19 when you ring.