Key messages from the Ministry of Health on today's changes:?
- From 11.59pm Friday 25 March, we will introduce a new and highly simplified traffic light setting:
- At RED, people will be required to wear masks in all the indoor venues they are now and capacity limits increase to 200. Outdoor capacity limits are removed, and face masks are no longer required at outdoor settings
- At ORANGE, the capacity limits go, but face masks are still required in many indoor settings
- At GREEN, when we get there, there are no requirements, but we want people to keep up good health habits and look after those of us that are more vulnerable to COVID-19
- At all levels, the testing and isolation requirements remain as they are now. If you have symptoms or someone in your household tests positive, isolate and get tested. The isolation period for both positive cases and household contacts will remain at 7 days, and will be kept under regular review.
- You’ll notice that a lot has gone. My Vaccine Pass was an extremely useful tool while we were getting the country vaccinated, and in our fight against Delta, but with around 95% of the eligible population at least double dosed, we no longer need this. Businesses will still be able to use the system if they would like to, but from?4 April?it won’t be required.
- There will be no requirement on businesses to ensure customers scan or sign-in anymore and QR codes will no longer need to be displayed. As Omicron is now widespread, we no longer need to contact trace individual cases. This means we can remove the obligation on businesses and the public to maintain records for contact tracing purposes. This system may need to return if another variant of concern arrives in New Zealand.
- Also, from?4 April,?vaccine mandates disappear for all sectors?except?health and care workers, prison staff, and border workers. They remain for these people because health and care workers and prison staff come into contact with a lot of people who are at high risk of serious illness from COVID-19 and our border workers because they are the first people that would likely be exposed to any new variant of concern that emerges internationally.
- What these changes signal is a shift towards enabling people, businesses, whanau and communities to manage the risk of COVID in a way that suits them, while we all resume our normal day-to-day lives and reinvigorate our businesses. While we are removing requirements, we still want you to think about what you can do to keep yourselves, your workers, your customers, friends and family, safe.
