Covid-19 Local Government Response Unit Update – Wednesday 24 November 2021
Local Government Response Unit main page
National State of Play
From 11.59pm on 16 January 2022, fully vaccinated New Zealanders and other eligible travellers can travel to New Zealand from Australia without staying in managed isolation or quarantine.
From 11.59pm on 13 February, fully vaccinated New Zealanders and other eligible travellers can travel to New Zealand from all other countries.
From 30 April, fully vaccinated foreign travellers can travel to New Zealand. This will happen in a staged way.
Travellers will need a negative pre-departure test, be fully vaccinated, a declaration of full travel history, test on arrival and at end of self-isolation period.
COVID-19 Protection Framework guidance for local government
The Response Unit has been working with a group of chief executives on shaping up guidance for the implementation of the COVID-19 Protection Framework. This will be released to the Local Government sector on Friday (26 Nov) as part of the 5:15 update and will be uploaded to the Local Government Response Unit webpage as soon as possible after this.
Please note that this is initial Guidance and is being released ahead of relevant Cabinet decisions and legislation expected next week. As such, we expect to be releasing further iterations of the Guidance regularly over the next month or so.
All of New Zealand will move into the COVID-19 Protection Framework at 11:59pm on Thursday, 2nd December 2021.
The Vaccine Assessment tool
The upcoming Vaccine Assessment Tool will be available soon as part of the new COVID-19 protection framework coming into effect on Friday 3 December.
Outside of Government mandates, the tool provides a clear, legal framework to help Councils make decisions about vaccinations in the workplace. It will specify four key factors, of which at least three of which must be met before it would be reasonable to require vaccination for particular work.
This new process won’t override risk assessments that Councils have already done under the existing health and safety guidelines, meaning Councils can choose which one they use, and any assessments done to date remain valid.
As part of the regulations being passed under urgency this week, coming into effect in mid-December, employers will also be required to provide a minimum of four weeks’ paid notice of termination for any employee that must be vaccinated because of their job, and chooses not to be.
You can also read the announcement on the Vaccine Assessment Tool on the Beehive website here: Govt providing business the tools to vaccinate workforces | Beehive.govt.nz.
My Vaccine Passes and the NZ Pass Verifier App
My Vaccine Passes and the free NZ Pass Verifier app is now available to download. The NZ Verifier app can be downloaded from the Apple and Google Play app stores.
The NZ Pass Verifier app is another step for Councils and organisations to prepare for this next phase in our COVID response. It provides certainty that they can quickly manage vaccine certificates and make sure they can easily check that their customers are fully vaccinated.
For customers entering a business requiring proof of vaccination status, their My Vaccine Pass will be scanned by the verifier app. It will show quickly that the person is fully vaccinated or has the appropriate exemption and can enter their premises.
Technical guidance for the NZ Pass Verifier is available on the Ministry of Health website (NZ Pass Verifier | Ministry of Health NZ). Additional guidance for businesses using the verifier under the COVID Protection Framework will be out later this week. People will also be able to call 0800 800606 for assistance.
Essential services such as supermarkets, access to health and disability services and primary and secondary education facilities cannot ask for proof of verification status and will not require a NZ Pass Verifier.
A press release discussing the NZ Pass Verifier can be read here: Tech ready for businesses and events to open up for summer | Beehive.govt.nz.
Please share with us your approaches towards the COVID-19 Protection Framework
We would like to know how councils are implementing the COVID-19 Protection Framework in their organisations and communities. This will help us to collate information, and build a resource that will assist consistency of application across the sector (shared approach) and inform our ongoing guidance development.
If you would like to share your council’s thinking and application of the new protection framework, please email them to us at LGCGcovid19response@dia.govt.nz.
Information on current cases, COVID-19 test sites and economic support
There are 215 new cases of Covid-19 in the community today. Of these 181 are in Auckland, 18 in Waikato, 12 in the Bay of Plenty, one in Canterbury and three in Northland.
There were 18,880 first and second vaccine doses administered yesterday, made up of 6,496 first doses and 12,384 second doses. To date, 92% of eligible people in New Zealand have had their first dose and 84% are fully vaccinated.
Available testing sites can be found on the Ministry of Health website: Get tested for COVID-19 | Unite against COVID-19 (covid19.govt.nz).
Locations of interest can be found at COVID-19: Contact tracing locations of interest | Ministry of Health NZ. This is being updated as soon as information is available.
Economic assistance is available for those impacted by the lockdown, more information available on the COVID-19 website, including details of the Business Boost package.
