If you have COVID-19

If you have COVID-19 you need to self-isolate for 7 days. Find out what else you need to do.

Report your RAT result Financial support

COVID-19 Health Hub

Find detailed advice about managing your symptoms and what to do while you are self-isolating on Te Whatu Ora — Heath New Zealand's COVID-19 Health Hub.

COVID-19 Health Hub (external link)

Report your test result

If you have taken a rapid antigen test (RAT), report your positive result online or by calling the helpline.

How to report your RAT result

Te Whatu Ora — Health New Zealand will then send you a text message from the official 2328 or 2648 numbers to confirm your positive result. This has information about self-isolation, support options, and a 6-digit access code for the online contact tracing form.

If you had a PCR test, you will get a text message with your result.

If your employer asks to see proof that you must isolate, you can use this text message. You do not need a medical certificate from a doctor.

Start your 7 days of self-isolation

You must self-isolate for 7 days while you recover. This includes if you have had COVID-19 before.

Day 0 is the day your symptoms started or when you tested positive, whichever came first.

Create your household isolation and testing timeline | COVID-19 Health Hub (external link)

Your Household Contacts do not need to isolate. They should test daily for 5 days. If they test positive, they need to begin 7 days of isolation as someone with COVID-19.

Advice for your Household Contacts

What to do during self-isolation

You must stay at home and avoid contact with other people in your household.

Find out what to do when self-isolating, including permitted reasons to leave self-isolation, and how to ventilate your home.

How to self-isolate

Ventilation and COVID-19

Fill in the contact tracing form

Complete Te Whatu Ora’s contact tracing form using your 6-digit access code. (You can find this code in the text message from the official 2328 or 2648 numbers.) For most people, the form will take 5 to 10 minutes to fill in.

If you are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and do not complete the form within 12 hours, you will get a phone call.

How to use the contact tracing form

You also need to tell your close contacts you have COVID-19. This includes the people you live with, and your workplace or school.

Advice on how to tell people you have COVID-19 | COVID-19 Health Hub (external link)

Monitor and manage your symptoms

Most people with COVID-19 — especially if they are fully vaccinated and boosted — are likely to have a mild to moderate illness and will be fine to recover at home.

Symptoms for COVID-19 tend to show 2 to 5 days after a person has been infected but can take up to 14 days. Omicron causes similar symptoms to other variants.

Advice on managing your COVID-19 symptoms | COVID-19 Health Hub (external link)

If you need advice

If you need advice on how to treat your symptoms or have worsening symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider or call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.

If it is an emergency

If your symptoms get worse or you need urgent medical care, call your local healthcare provider or Healthline on 0800 358 5453

If you or the person you are caring for develops difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, fainting or becomes unconscious, call 111 immediately.

If you require hospital-level care, it is free.

Medicines are available to treat COVID-19

Free antivirals to treat COVID-19 are available for people who are at risk of developing serious illness and for some people who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Medicines to treat COVID-19

Video: How to manage COVID-19 symptoms at home

Finish your self-isolation

You can end your self-isolation 7 days after your symptoms started or you tested positive, whichever came first.

You cannot end your self-isolation early, even if a later test is negative during the 7 days.

You do not need to wait for an official message to leave self-isolation. You may receive a text message confirming your self-isolation period has ended.

You do not need a negative RAT result to return to work or school.

If you are still sick

Some people can still be infectious after 7 days. If you are still sick at the end of your self-isolation period, stay home until you are well and for 24 hours after you no longer have symptoms.

After you have had COVID-19

More information

Help when you are self-isolating

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) can coordinate extra support for you if you need it.

If you get COVID-19 while travelling

You may get COVID-19 while you are away from home. If you test positive while travelling, here is what you need to know.

Long COVID

Long COVID describes the symptoms that continue or develop after your initial COVID-19 symptoms.

Look after your mental wellbeing

It is understandable to feel a range of emotions while unwell. Reach out to friends and whānau for support, or use a support service that is available.

Caring for tamariki

It can be hard supporting your tamariki (children) when they need to isolate with COVID-19. The COVID-19 Health Hub has advice on how to make things easier for children and parents.

International travellers

If you test positive for COVID-19 while visiting New Zealand, you will need to isolate for 7 days. Follow the isolation advice on the COVID-19 Health Hub.

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