Due to happen for New Zealand (outside of Auckland and Northland) from Wednesday Sept 1. According to the ‘United Against COVID-19’ website these are the current rules, but cabinet is to meet on Monday and there may be some variations.
CAN I GO BACK TO WORK ?
At alert level 3, work from home unless that is not possible.
People returning to work must follow public health guidance (see link above). Because the Delta variant is more infectious and moves faster, additional precautions have been added to help businesses operate safely.
These include all employees & visitors wearing face coverings, keeping record of people visiting through the Covid Tracer app or physical record, and maintaining two metres distance or minimum one metre in a ‘controlled environment’.
Employers to display a QR code and have an alternative tracking system.
SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES
At alert level 3, all children should learn from home, but schools open for children whose parents or carers need to go to work. Play centres & playgroups remain closed.
Schools provide distance-learning options for all tamariki / pupils learning from home, including those who need to self-isolate and cannot attend school.
Schools to set up bubbles to help maintain physical distancing in and outside the classroom. Parents, carers & whānau & visitors to the school keep 2 metres apart from people outside their household.
All tertiary education providers deliver their courses online. Where online learning is not an option, for example lab work or research, these can be accommodated if public health guidelines are able to be met.
Classes or workshops limited to 10 people per class. Each class is considered a ‘bubble’ and must not interact with any other student/staff bubbles of 10.
CAN RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS RE-OPEN ?
You can once again get takeaways, but no restaurant dining.
Cafes, restaurants & takeaways open only for contactless pick-up, delivery or drive-through. Liquor stores can only offer contactless pick-up and delivery, (if their liquor licence allows delivery).
Food delivery services, such as Delivereasy and Uber Eats, can operate at alert level 3.
BUSINESSES NOT ABLE TO OPEN
Businesses that require close physical contact, for example hairdressers, barbers, driving instructors, tattoo parlours, or nail salons, have to remain closed.
Farmers’ markets, entertainment and tourist facilities, night clubs, and gyms cannot open.
WHERE CUSTOMERS CAN ENTER BUSINESS PREMISES
Supermarkets, dairies, butcheries, fish shops, greengrocers, petrol stations, pharmacies or a permitted health service. Some chemists currently open as they are offering vaccine jabs.
Customers must maintain physical distancing and wear masks, use hand sanitiser or wash hands regularly, and use the tracer app.
Sale of non-food consumer products is allowed, but as with all businesses this must be done in a contactless way. Customers can pay online, over the phone or with contactless payment methods such as Paywave or Apple Pay.
DELIVERY
Delivery or pick-up must be contactless.
HOME CLEANERS
Home cleaners cannot work in clients’ homes.
BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION
Building & construction work can resume with the necessary safety measures in place, and plumbers, electricians, tradespeople able to work on customers’ property provided the relevant public health measures are met.
CAN I SOCIALISE OUTSIDE MY HOUSEHOLD BUBBLE ?
At alert level 3, you must maintain your household bubble. You cannot invite friends and extended family who are not in your bubble to your home. You may expand your bubble slightly, but this is limited to close family and whānau, bringing in caregivers, or supporting isolated people.
PUBLIC VENUES
Public venues will be closed at Alert Level 3. This includes libraries, museums, cinemas, food courts, gyms, pools, and markets. Unfortunately that includes our He Puna Taimoana Hot Pools but those with membership cards will not lose out as these have been put on hold.
GATHERINGS
Gatherings of up to 10 people can go ahead, but only for wedding and civil union ceremonies, as well as funerals and tangihanga. Keep track of where you’ve been by scanning in with the Covid Tracer app.
Keep 2 metres away from people you do not live with, and avoid close physical contact such as hugging / hongi / handshaking.
REST HOMES
You will not be able to visit friends and whānau living in a rest home or aged care facility until alert level 2.
TRAVEL RULES ?
During alert level 3, travel within your local area is permitted, for example going to work or school, and use of public transport to get there. Strict health and safety requirements still apply, including a requirement to wear a face covering on all forms of public transport.
Most bus services operate on a reduced schedule during alert level 3 and 4, so check the availability beforehand.
Travel between regions (particularly across alert levels) is heavily restricted although some detail around this will be clarified (hopefully) on Monday.
ESSENTIAL WORKERS MOVEMENTS
For essential workers, travel in and out of an alert level 3 region is only allowed for specific reasons. If you need to travel to a region at a different alert level for work purposes, check your reason meets the criteria.
If not, you apply for a travel exemption through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
TRAMPING-MOUNTAIN BIKING AND HUNTING
Tramping is allowed for day walks on easy trails close to your home. DOC huts and campsites are closed. Check with your local council to see what trails or parks are open before heading out.
Choose low-risk activities so you do not need rescuing or medical care. If you are an experienced surfer, mountain biker or horse rider, you can do these activities at a close-by area.
stay within 200 metres from shore if you are kayaking, canoeing, rowing, surfing, wind surfing or paddle-boarding (no to scuba diving).
You can hunt on both private and public conservation land, but within your region and stick to your bubble. You can only hunt on foot – using quad bikes, off-road bikes, (the use of helicopters & other motorised vehicles not allowed). Do not go on an overnight hunting trip.
If you are out hunting, you still need to follow the local regulations.
You can fish from a wharf or the shore, (but not off the rocks or from a boat). Keep it local and go to your nearest fishing spot.
Visit the Covid-19 outdoors website for more information.