A Section 70 has been issued by the Government for household contacts of a person who has been at a New Zealand location of interest.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said “this is for the purpose of preventing further outbreak or spread of COVID-19, which is considered to be a significant risk to the public.”

The Ministry of Health said “the direction applies to any person who is a household contact of a person who has attended the locations of interest at the times and dates as set out in Schedule 1 or who has been classified as a contact.”

“These people are required to isolate or quarantine at their usual place of residence (which for visitors, includes accommodation), except as required to report and submit for testing, until the person who has been at a location of interest has received a negative day five test or until after an earlier negative test if contact between the two people has ceased.”

The Ministry of Health said “there is a separate Section 70 notice that applies to household contacts of those who have been at locations of interest. They are required to isolate until the household member has returned a negative day-five test result.”

“It is very important that essential workers regularly check the locations of interest so they can isolate immediately if they have been at any of these locations at the relevant time(s).”

Failure or refusal to comply with this direction is an offence under s 72 of the Health Act 1956.