COVID-19 UPDATE
There is substantial frustration from business about the continued lack of information on the next steps including:
- A date for the move to the Covid Protection Framework
- Movement across borders
- Risk assessment guidelines/vaccination mandates for businesses
- Vaccination passes/verification system
- Protocols when a Covid positive case is identified in a business
- Rapid antigen testing
We continue to push officials and Ministers weekly for guidelines on these matters. In the meantime here are some of the things we do know that may be helpful to you.
Covid Protection Framework (CPF)
As I mentioned above, we don't know when this will come into play, but it is likely to be on or sometime after 29 November. Click here for an easy visual of what the traffic light system means.
Of note is that once we move into the CPF, financial support in the form of the Wage Subsidy and Resurgence Support Payment will cease - they are only applicable under the Alert Level System. It is mooted that there will be no financial assistance for regions in the orange or green traffic light, and a new combined financial package will be made available for businesses in the red zone but the criteria may be tougher.
Vaccination Records
These are now available for everyone aged 16 and over via My Covid Record. The Vaccine Pass and will be available later this week, and a separate Vaccine Certificate will be some time after that. Please note that the Vaccine Pass and a Vaccine Certificate are quite different things.
The Pass will contain minimal information to avoid privacy issues - it will simply confirm the name of the person and that they are vaccinated. It will not confirm the identity of the person carrying the vaccine pass - this will need to be verified by an additional form of ID to ensure they match. The vaccine pass will be available via a QR code in My Covid Record, as a PDF sent via email, or as a hard copy sent in the post. For those unable to access a computer to set up My Covid Record, they will need to phone 0800 222 478.
The Vaccination Certificate will contain a lot more personal information and is designed to be used alongside your passport to support international travel.
Note The Ministry of Health are the only issuer of both the Vaccine Pass and the Vaccine Certificate - anything from another source is not valid.
Vaccine Pass Use for Businesses
Once the Covid Protection Framework comes into play some businesses will require use of the Vaccine Pass in order to open to the public, particularly in the red and orange traffic lights.
As a business you can legally choose to make a decision that all contractors and visitors must be vaccinated, and you may wish to sight their Vaccine Pass to verify this information.
There will be a free Verifier App made available to businesses later this month to scan and verify a domestic vaccine pass.
Rapid Antigen Testing
This is currently being trialed by 29 companies. When the findings are complete (the trial ends on 30 November) they will likely extend this to businesses to use in their workplaces to provide an added layer of safety.
This won't replace nasal testing or vaccine requirements that form part of the public health response, it will sit alongside these services.
Once more information is available we will let you know.
Vaccine Exemptions
To date there has been some looseness in the process of providing vaccine exemptions which has been of some concern. Legislation was updated last week to establish a centralised process for vaccine exemptions including who can provide them. Any previously granted exemptions are now void so if someone in your workplace has provided one, you will need to tell them they have to reapply.
Further details can be found here.
Booster Vaccine Available
A third Pfizer shot will be available from the end of November for those that had their second vaccination more than six months ago - whether they received it overseas or in NZ. Bookings will be available in the BookMyVaccine system from 26 November.
As mentioned, there is still a lot of information to come - as always we will keep you posted..
Keep up the good work.
Kind regards
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