Local Government COVID-19 Response Update – Thursday 2 September 2021

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Here’s today’s update

Today the Prime Minister confirmed that Northland will move to Alert Level 3 on 11:59pm Thursday 2 September.

Auckland will remain in Alert Level 4 for a further two weeks. This will be reviewed by Cabinet on Monday 13 September. 

From 12:00am Wednesday 1 September all areas south of Auckland moved down to Alert Level 3. This is for an initial period of one week and will be reviewed by Cabinet on 6 September 2021. 

New Public Health Order issued

The COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirement) Order (No 10) 2021 has been notified in the Gazette and published on the Legislation website and can be found here: COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirement Order (No 10) 2021

It is important to note that the Guidance that the Response Unit issues, should be read in conjunction with the Public Health Response Order, and that if there are any questions they should be directed to LGCGcovid19response@dia.govt.nz for further clarity.

Guidance on mandatory record keeping at Alert Level 3 and lower

On 22 August 2021, the Government announced that COVID-19 tracer app scanning (record keeping) is to be required under all alert levels for everyone 12 and older.

Mandatory record keeping requirements for all business south of Auckland will come into effect from 8 September 2021 and from 10 September 2021 for all Northland businesses.

The seven-day window provides businesses and other locations where record keeping will be required with time to ensure they have record keeping systems and processes in place.

This means many businesses and locations will need to have record keeping systems and processes in place, so visitors can keep a record when they visit. This can be done by scanning QR codes with the COVID-19 Tracer App or making a manual record.

Paper based registers should be maintained and recorded from an individual behind a counter (i.e. your receptionist) rather than viewed and operated by everyone who enters the building. If this is inconvenient or not staffed – people should be using a ballot box system.

There will be no explicit obligation on the person responsible for the place or gathering to ensure that people are making a record. The obligation on businesses is to have systems and processes in place to ensure (as far as reasonably practicable) that customers or visitors make a record.

Businesses will not be required or expected to turn people away who may refuse to make a record of their visit, particularly if the person becomes aggressive or abusive. This will be at the discretion of the business.

We are working with agencies to further develop guidance for mandatory record keeping at Alert Level 3 and lower. This guidance will be published and regularly reviewed as more information becomes available.

Alert Level 3 guidelines – for any communications out to your communities

Alert Level 3 means staying in your bubble, keeping your distance and shopping without contact.

Stay home and within your immediate household bubble. You can expand this slightly, but only to bring in close family/whānau, to enable caregiving, or provide support to isolated people.

Masks and face coverings are legally required for customers and employees involving customer contact at a business or service operating at Alert Level 3.

Public facilities are closed, for example, libraries, museums, cinemas, food courts, gyms, pools and markets.

People can travel to work, school, to exercise or go to businesses that can safely open and pick up goods, purchased in a contactless way. Travel must be kept as close to home as possible –stay in your local area.

Gatherings, including faith-based services, sports games and social events, are not permitted at Alert Level 3 or 4.

Weddings and civil unions ceremonies, funerals and tangihanga are allowed, but only for up to 10 people. 2-metre distancing, face coverings and record keeping are required at all permitted gatherings.

Vaccination bookings now open to all people aged 12 and over

From today, Wednesday 1 September 2021, everyone in in Aotearoa aged 12 and over can book their free COVID-19 vaccination. It does not matter what your visa or citizenship status is.

You can book on behalf of someone else — or help them with their booking — if you have their permission.

The Book My Vaccine website is the fastest and easiest way to book and make changes to your appointment. Booking through the website can take 5 minutes or less.

Vaccination appointments can also be booked over the phone by calling the COVID Vaccination Healthline on 0800 28 29 26. All calls are free, and the team are available from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week. You can ask for an interpreter if you need one.

More information and resources on the New Zealand COVID-19 vaccination programme can be found on the Unite against COVID-19 website.

Doing business at Alert Level 3

Businesses that require close physical contact cannot open.

All other businesses can operate but with restrictions. This includes physical distancing, having extra hygiene measures and contactless options for ordering, pick-up, delivery and payment.

Only people who can’t work from home should return to work.

For more information on these requirements, visit the Unite against COVID-19 website.

Mask wearing at Alert Level 3

Masks and face coverings are legally required for customers and employees involving customer contact at a business or service operating at Alert Level 3

You legally must wear a face covering:

In the public areas of courts and tribunals, local and central government agencies and social service providers with customer service counters

On public transport and at departure points for example airports, train stations and bus stops

On flights

In taxi or ride share vehicles – drivers and passengers

When visiting healthcare facilities

If you are a delivery driver to residential addresses

Inside any Alert Level 3 businesses and services that are open and involve customer contact, for example supermarkets, pharmacies, hardware stores and petrol stations

Travel across Alert Level Boundaries

The latest information on travel across Alert Level Boundaries can be found  here: https://www.business.govt.nz/covid-19/business-travel-across-alert-level-boundaries/?

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is managing the Business Travel Register. The register enables businesses and organisations to (pre-)register for essential worker travel across Alert Level boundaries.

The register is now open, and essential businesses can register:

either for permitted activities (those activities listed in the Alert Level Requirement Order): or

to seek an exemption from the Director General of Health (for something that isn’t listed in the Order).

The register will generate Business Travel Documents (BTD) for workers to display at checkpoints. The BTD includes a QR code, which enables Police to verify the document digitally against the register. The Business Travel Register is available at this link: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/about/news/business-travel-register-open/

For permitted activities there is no requirement to register for travel, nor are travellers required to carry the system issued BTD; there are a variety of forms of evidence that can be provided at checkpoints. However, the BTD will be a standard document recognised by Police that can be displayed from the vehicle and will therefore speed up monitoring of and passage through checkpoints.

An unofficial rule of thumb is that if you can travel under Alert Level 4 settings you will be able to do so for Alert Level 4/Alert Level 3 boundary travel – but all other travel has to be approved (so none of the previous prior approvals issued through the Business Travel system administered by MBIE will carry over)

The guidance on council services and operations through the Alert Levels (distributed Friday), provides further information on cross-boundary travel, including guidance on the Business Travel registration process. 

Ministry of Transport

The Ministry of Transport have released several pieces of guidance on Transport and Travel in Alert Level 4: You can read the guidance on the COVID-19 transport information on the Ministry of Transport website.

Information on current cases, COVID-19 test sites and economic support

There are 49 new cases of COVID-19 in the New Zealand community, bringing the total number of cases connected with the outbreak to 725. In total there are 709 cases in Auckland and 16 are in Wellington.

If you have cold and flu symptoms, please get tested. Available testing sites can be found here on the Ministry of Health website: Available testing sites, with more being stood up in Auckland.

Locations of interest can be found Locations of Interest, and 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. 

Ombudsman’s advisory on LGOIMA during COVID-19

The Ombudsman has released an advisory about managing LGOIMA requests during lockdown. There is an emphasis on communicating with the public about any challenges your council may be facing. The advisory can be found here: Ombudsman's statement

A COVID-19 FAQS guide can also be found here: Ombudsman's FAQs. This guide answers questions from agencies and requesters about dealing with official information requests during the COVID-19 emergency.

Epidemic notice remains in force

The following provisions will remain in place until the Principal Notice expires or is revoked:

• the amendments to enable council meetings via audio or visual link to meet quorum requirements regardless of Council Standing Orders;
• the provisions enabling council meetings to be open to the public through online access and to post meeting agendas, reports and minutes on council websites rather than physical locations;
• new members of Council can continue to make their statutory declaration (oath of office) via audio or audio-visual link; and
• the mechanism for making further changes to by-election timing by Order in Council and provisions enabling local authority chief executives to delay the commencement of by-election timeframes.