Close Contacts

You are a Close Contact if you had contact with someone with COVID-19 when they were infectious. Close Contacts do not need to isolate.

Key points

  • You are a Close Contact if you have had contact with a person with COVID-19 when they were infectious.
  • Close Contacts do not need to self-isolate or get a test.
  • Monitor yourself for symptoms for 10 days, and if any develop, take a rapid antigen test (RAT).
  • Wear a face mask whenever you leave your home for the first 5 days following exposure.

Who is a Close Contact

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

You are a Close Contact in the following situations:

  • If you have been close (within 1.5 metres) to someone who has COVID-19 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 a person who has COVID-19. For example, kissing, or if the person coughed or sneezed on you.
  • If you spent time in an indoor space with someone who has COVID-19 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.

Advice for Household Contacts

How you will be notified

If you have 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
  • your employer or school.

What you need to do

You do not need to self-isolate if you are a Close Contact.

Monitor yourself for symptoms for 10 days, and if you develop any, take a rapid antigen test (RAT).

You should wear a face mask whenever you leave your home for the first 5 days following exposure, to help reduce the risk of infecting others. Wearing a face mask is important when:

  • visiting vulnerable people, such as older people and those who are immunocompromised
  • using public transport
  • in a crowded indoor space.

COVID-19 symptoms

Last updated: at