We are moving to the next stage of our COVID-19 response. The COVID-19 Protection Framework (traffic lights) is central to our new minimise and protect strategy.
The framework will continue to protect New Zealanders, while also providing more certainty and new opportunities. It minimises the impact of COVID-19 through 3 settings — Red, Orange and Green.
Minimisation means we are aiming to keep the spread of COVID-19 and hospitilisations at as low a level as possible. Outbreaks will be contained and controlled, and if practical, stamped out. There will likely be some level of cases in the community on an ongoing basis.
Protection means that we will protect people from the virus, with vaccination, infection prevention and control and general public health measures — for example, contact tracing, case management and testing — and a response that focuses on minimising its significant health impacts through treatment and support. We will also protect people’s health, by ensuring we are not letting cases go to the point where the impacts have flow-on effects to impact other health services.
The hard truth is that COVID-19 will spread around New Zealand, and we need to be prepared. The framework is our best tool to do this. It is intended to give as much certainty and stability as possible for people and businesses, reducing the need for widespread lockdowns.
