HNZ: Updated Clinical and Operational Guidance

Kia ora koutou,

Updated Primary Care Quick Reference Guide:

On the back of recently updated COVID-19 Clinical Reinfection guidance, the Primary Care Quick Refence Guide has also been updated and is attached.

The changes reflect updates to national advice (such as the reinfection guidance).

This guidance can also be accessed at COVID-19: Primary care | Ministry of Health NZ

COVID-19 reinfection guidance:

I have also attached again for reference the reinfection guidance, and summary of this work is below:

Please find attached the updated guidance on how manage patients presenting with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, or a positive rapid antigen test, after a previous COVID-19 infection.

The key change is that if a person develops new COVID-19 symptoms, and it’s 29 days or more since their previous infection, it’s possible that it’s a reinfection with COVID-19 and they should take a rapid antigen test.

This differs from the previous advice which was that people should not to re-test if they had tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days.

If you have any queries relating to this guidance, please get in contact with us at COVID_IMT_ResponseMgr@health.govt.nz

Ngā mihi nui,

Sarah Upston (she/her)

Acting Manager, Primary Care |

Primary Health Care System Improvement and Innovation/ Commissioning

waea pūkoro: +64 21 320 426 | īmēra: sarah.upston@health.govt.nz

133 Molesworth Street, Wellington | PO Box 5103, Wellington 6140