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Types of COVID-19 contacts and what to do

Phase 3: Covid-19 contacts and what to do

With a large increase in cases around the country, it’s important we all know what to do to try and keep each other safe and supported. 

During Phase 3, most people will be able to look after themselves at home.

Health and social services will focus on those who need the most help.

Otago Polytechnic will also take this approach. Our main priority is the wellbeing of our learners and staff who need support the most.

It’s a good idea to regularly check the Ministry of Health website for locations of interest that you may have been to. Keep scanning into places that you go and wear your mask all the time.

Getting tested

You should only get a Covid-19 test if:

you have symptoms, or
you're a Household Contact.

Check out more info here about when you should get a test.

Getting a test

Dunedin

Covid-19 testing is free and available at the Covid-19 Community Based Testing Centre, 5 Malcolm Street, Dunedin. This walk-in and drive-thru centre is open every day from 11am to 7pm. No appointment required.  See more info and map here.
This testing centre is currently experiencing a lot of demand/pressure. Please ONLY request to get tested if:
- you have COVID-19 symptoms (cough, runny nose, sore throat)
- you have been asked to by the hospital team
- you have been asked to by Public Health or another health official.
For other testing locations in Dunedin, visit this webpage.

Other testing locations around New Zealand

You can call 0800-VIRUS-19 (0800 847 8719) between 8.30am - 4.30pm, seven days a week, for help accessing Covid-19 testing in other locations.  
Or visit this webpage to find a range of other testing locations around New Zealand.

COVID-19 testing at Dunedin Student Health

We are currently also offering Covid-19 tests at Student Health.

Please ONLY request to get tested if:

you have COVID-19 symptoms (cough, runny nose, sore throat)
you have been asked to by Public Health or another health official.

Please ring us to advise that you need a test (0800 762 786 / 03 479 6082). Do not just arrive in person as we need to ensure everyone's safety. Once we've confirmed that you do need to be tested, we'll let you know what you need to do.

Getting Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs)

If you have Covid symptoms or are an asymptomatic Household Contact of a positive Covid case, you can order Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) through this website: https://requestrats.covid19.health.nz/

Ordering your RATs

The tests are completely free.
You need to order these tests online.
You will then be given an order number and can collect your RATs from a collection site (quoting this order number).

Collecting your RATs

You can collect these in person if you feel well enough OR someone can collect them on your behalf (friends, flatmates, family).
And, if you can’t collect them and have no-one who can collect them on your behalf, tests can be delivered to you.
There are lots of collection sites available throughout New Zealand. You can find all the collection sites listed here (and search by region/city): https://www.healthpoint.co.nz/covid-19/?covidTesting=rats
Please remember to check the collection times that the tests are available at the collection site.

Dunedin/South Otago/West Otago collection sites

Dunedin

Antidote (Gardens) or (Meridian) or (MacAndrew) or (North) or (Octagon)
Dunedin Community Testing Centre (Malcolm Street)
Unichem Taieri Pharmacy – Mosgiel

Balclutha

Bates Pharmacy
Unichem Greys Pharmacy

Tapanui

West Otago Health

Accessing other testing

You can also still access testing (RAT and PCR) at community testing centres and general practices – remember, you need to meet the testing criteria (i.e. you’re symptomatic or are a Household Contact of a Covid positive case).
If you don’t meet the testing criteria, and want to get tested (for example, before visiting an elderly relative) you can buy tests at some pharmacies.

Reporting your test result

Whether you test positive or negative when using a RAT, it’s important that you register this result through My Covid Record.
You can either head to https://mycovidrecord.health.nz/ and log into your My Covid Record account OR call 0800 222 478 and press option 3.
You can find a step-by-step guide for how to report your result in your My Covid Record here.

Telling Otago Polytechnic if you test positive

If you test positive for Covid when using a RAT, you also need to tell us by by filling in this form.   
This form will ask for a few details and will ask if you need any kind of support (i.e. welfare checks, food/medicine).
You can also visit our Covid-19 support webpage to see what resources are available at OP and in the community/online.

When am I a contact?

This information comes from the Close Contacts page on the Covid-19 Government website.

You can use this online survey to determine what type of contact you are.

Close Contact	Household Contact	Casual Contact
At Otago Polytechnic If you were in contact with someone who later tests positive for Covid BUT you were both wearing masks during your time together, you are NOT a Close Contact. This applies no matter what the distance was between you or the length of time you spent with them. In the community You are a Close Contact if you have had contact with a person with Covid-19 when they were infectious. Close Contacts are at higher risk of getting Covid-19.  You are a Close Contact in the following situations: If you live with someone who is positive. 2. If you have been close (within 1.5 metres) to someone who is positive: for more than 15 minutes and they were not wearing a face mask or not wearing it properly. If you have had direct contact with someone who is positive. For example: kissing sharing a cigarette, vape or drink bottle if the person coughed or sneezed directly on you. If you spent time in an indoor space with someone who is positive for more than 1 hour and at least one of the following. They were singing, shouting, smoking, vaping, exercising, or dancing. They were not wearing a face mask or it was not on properly. It was poorly ventilated.  It was smaller than 100m2 (about 3 double garages).	You are a Household Contact if you live with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.	You are a Casual Contact if you have been to a location of interest at the same time as someone infectious with Covid-19. But you may not have been near the person.

Close Contact 

Household Contact

Casual Contact

At Otago Polytechnic

If you were in contact with someone who later tests positive for Covid BUT you were both wearing masks during your time together, you are NOT a Close Contact.
This applies no matter what the distance was between you or the length of time you spent with them.

In the community

You are a Close Contact if you have had contact with a person with Covid-19 when they were infectious.

Close Contacts are at higher risk of getting Covid-19. 

You are a Close Contact in the following situations:

If you live with someone who is positive.

2. If you have been close (within 1.5 metres) to someone who is positive:

for more than 15 minutes and
they were not wearing a face mask or not wearing it properly.

If you have had direct contact with someone who is positive. For example:

kissing
sharing a cigarette, vape or drink bottle
if the person coughed or sneezed directly on you.

If you spent time in an indoor space with someone who is positive for more than 1 hour and at least one of the following.

They were singing, shouting, smoking, vaping, exercising, or dancing.
They were not wearing a face mask or it was not on properly.
It was poorly ventilated. 
It was smaller than 100m2 (about 3 double garages).

You are a Household Contact if you live with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.

You are a Casual Contact if you have been to a location of interest at the same time as someone infectious with Covid-19.

But you may not have been near the person.

Confused about if you're a contact or need to isolate?

You can use this online survey to determine what type of contact you are >

Will Otago Polytechnic tell me I'm a Close Contact or have been to a location of interest?

No, during Phase 3, we won’t be:

working to identify Close Contacts at Otago Polytechnic (unless we feel there is a high risk to do so OR masks weren’t worn), or
publishing locations of interest on campus (unless we feel there is a need to do so).

Our focus is on the wellbeing, welfare and learning of our students.

How will I be told then?

Close Contacts

If you’ve been identified as a Close Contact of someone with Covid-19, you may be notified by:

the person who has Covid-19
a text message or call from the National Investigation and Tracing Centre (NITC)
an orange Bluetooth alert on the NZ Covid Tracer app dashboard
a yellow notification on the NZ Covid Tracer app if you scanned into a location of interest.

Casual Contacts

You may receive a yellow QR notification for a location of interest in the NZ COVID Tracer app. The notification will give you advice about what to do and a link for more information.

It’s a good idea to keep checking locations of interest.

What do I do if I'm a Household Contact?

If you live with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19, you are considered a Household Contact.
Whether you are fully-vaccinated or not, you will need to:
- self-isolate for 7 days from the day the person with Covid-19 tests positive (or is notified as a probable case), and
- get a test on Day 3 and Day 7 of your isolation, and
- try to avoid contact with the person who has Covid-19.
You will need to record your test results (whether positive or negative) through My Covid Record.
If you develop symptoms before Day 3, you should get a test sooner (see 'Getting tested' section above).
If you test positive, please follow the information in the 'What happens if I test positive for Covid-19?' section below.
Telling Otago Polytechnic
- Please tell us as soon as possible that you’re a Household Contact by filling in this form.
- This form will ask for a few details and will ask if you need any kind of support (i.e. welfare checks, food/medicine).
Leaving self-isolation

If someone else in your household tests positive, you do not need to restart your isolation period. You can complete your isolation at the same time as the first person in your household who had Covid-19 if:

your Day 7 test was negative
you have no new or worsening symptoms.
For further guidance and advice, please read the Household Contact info on the Covid-19 website.

What do I do if I'm a Close Contact?

If you get a notification through the NZ Covid Tracer app that you’re a Close Contact, you do not need to self-isolate and you do not need to tell Otago Polytechnic that you're a Close Contact.
However, you need to monitor your symptoms.
If you develop symptoms, you need to:
- stay at home
- get a test (see 'Getting tested' section above)
- let Otago Polytechnic know that you're having to isolate by filling in this form.
If you test positive, please follow the information in the ‘What happens if I test positive for Covid-19?’ section below.

What do I do if I'm a Casual Contact (been to a location of interest)?

You do not need to self-isolate.
And you do not need to tell Otago Polytechnic that you’re a Casual Contact.
You do need to monitor yourself for symptoms.
And, if you develop symptoms, you’ll need to get a test (see Getting tested section above).
If you test positive, please follow the information in the ‘What happens if I test positive for Covid-19?’ section below.

What happens if I test positive for Covid-19?

This page on the Covid-19 Government website has all the info you need about what happens if you test positive.

Positive via PCR test

If you test positive via a PCR test, you will be told of your result by text message from the official 2328 number.
It will include a link to an online form that you’ll need to fill in. This form takes about 30 mins and asks for info to help with contact tracing.
The text message will also have a link to more info about self-isolation, how to tell others you have Covid-19, how to look after yourself, and what support is available to you.

Positive via Rapid Antigen Test (RAT)

If you test positive after using a RAT, you need to record your result through My Covid Record.

Self-isolation

Whether you test positive through a PCR test or RAT, as soon as you find out you're positive, you need to self-isolate for 7 days.
Start counting your 7 days from day 0. Day 0 is the day that your symptoms started or the day that you got tested if you don’t have any symptoms.
The people you live with will need to follow the guidance for Household Contacts on the Covid-19 website.

Telling Otago Polytechnic

You will also need to tell us that you have tested positive.
Please do that as soon as you can by filling in this form.   
This form will ask for a few details and will ask if you need any kind of support (i.e. welfare checks, food/medicine).
You can also visit our Covid-19 support webpage to see what resources are available at OP and in the community/online.

 Leaving self-isolation

After 7 days, and as long as you’re free of Covid-19 symptoms, you will be free to leave isolation.
You do not need to be tested.
If you still have symptoms, you have to stay home until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours.
The others in your household will need to return negative tests on the relevant days before they can leave isolation.

How do I get support?

Dunedin Campus Student Support

Located in The Hub (open Monday-Friday, 8.30am-5.00pm) 

Email studentsuccessdn@op.ac.nz

Phone 0800 762 786  

Or visit our Covid-19 Student Support page for more details and resources >