Tāmaki Makaurau rejoins the rest of Aotearoa at Alert Level-1, from 12pm Friday, 12 March.
Hei whakamahara i a tātou, at Alert Level-1:
Kia ora rā tātou Tāmaki Makaurau, click here for more information.
Tāmaki Maurau rejoins the rest of Aotearoa at Alert Level-1.
Apart from border restrictions (keeping visitors out of Aotearoa / New Zealand), the only restriction at Level 1 is to wear a mask on all public transport and domestic flights into, out of, and within Auckland. Mask wearing is not mandatory for taxi and uber passengers but is strongly recommended.
Children under the age of 12 and as well as people with certain medical conditions will be exempt from mandatory mask wearing. Children and young people travelling on school buses are also exempt.
You can buy masks from many stockists, including supermarkets or wear a scarf or bandana or even make your own “no-sew” mask (2-3 layers of fabric is best):
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=356680615491629
Keep up to date via the Government’s COVID-19 webpage for more information: https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-system/alert-level-3/
You can call your own doctor or the free Healthline (0800 358 5453) to ask if they can help with any health issues. You can also order products on-line for home delivery, ask others to pick up supplies for you, or call 0800NWOrakei (0800 6967 2534) if you need help.
What to do if you’re sick(external link)
If you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms, stay home and call your doctor or Healthline on 0800 358 5453 to see if you need a test.
Wearing a face covering helps keep you and others safe. It helps stop droplets spreading when someone speaks, laughs, coughs or sneezes.
At Alert Level 1, face coverings legally must be worn:
There are exemptions for some people and services.
Keep up good handwashing practices, using soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and drying thoroughly. Cough and sneeze into your elbow. Keep surfaces clean.
How to practise good hygiene and stay healthy(external link)
At Alert Level 1, there is still a risk of COVID-19 returning to the community. We encourage you to continue tracking where you’ve been and who you’ve seen to help with contact tracing, if required.
You can use the NZ COVID Tracer app on public transport, in workplaces and when visiting businesses and shops. You can also add manual entries for places you’ve been that do not have a QR code poster.
NZ COVID Tracer app(external link)(external link)
Alternatively, you can keep your own diary with details of places you’ve visited, the time you were there and who you were with.
How to keep track of where you’ve been(external link)
Public transport operators, workplaces and businesses legally must display the NZ COVID Tracer QR code poster to help customers to keep track of where they’ve been.
COVID-19 is contained at Alert Level 1, but it’s still worthwhile to keep a safe distance from people you don’t know while out and about. This will help to minimise the spread of COVID-19 if community transmission returns.
If you’re having trouble with money, there may be support for you.
The symptoms include a cough, fever, shortness of breath, sneezing or a runny nose. These symptoms are also often a sign you have a cold of the common flu. This table, produced by the team at The Spinoff in April last year, is a useful guide to COVID-19 symptoms:
Call 111 immediately if you or someone in your household is having a medical emergency.
If you are unwell with COVID-19 symptoms you should self-isolate from the rest of your household and call your regular doctor or, if you don’t have a regular doctor, call the free Healthline on 0800 358 5453, and self-isolate. There is good guidance on self-isolation on the Government’s COVID-19 information website:
https://covid19.govt.nz/help-and-advice/for-everyone/self-isolation-if-youre-unwell/
You will only be tested for COVID-19 if you have the symptoms described above or have been instructed to have a test because you visited one of the locations of interest. If you don’t have COVID-19 symptoms, have not visited a location of interest or do not work in a risk area, do NOT present for a COVID-19 test.
If you do have COVID-19 symptoms, call your regular doctor. If you don’t have a regular doctor, call the free Healthline on 0800 358 5453. Either your regular doctor or the Healthline will be able to give you a referral to a testing station for a test.
Reach out to your regular support people such as family, friends or your Church elders and check out the awesome resources on the NWO Whānau Hub: https://ngatiwhatuaorakei.com/nwo-lockdown/. Otherwise, you can call or text 1737 for free, anytime (24/7) to talk with a trained counsellor. There is good guidance on keeping mentally well on the Government’s COVID-19 information website: https://covid19.govt.nz/help-and-advice/for-everyone/looking-after-your-mental-health/
If you work, your employer may be part of the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) which provides free counselling sessions for employees. Your employer will be able to provide you with their EAP details.
As at Wednesday 17 February 2021
Yes. Talk to your employer about the measures they’ve put in place to keep you safe – these include following the Government’s golden rules for business at alert level 2, which include social distancing, enabling good hand hygiene, frequently cleaning your work spaces, and masks and PPE.
If you are in the vulnerable group or unwell you should continue to stay at home. Talk to your employer and, if you’re not sure if you’re vulnerable, talk to your doctor, they may be able to give you a medical certificate if you need one to stay home (and your employer will have to pay for it if they require you to come into work and you think you’re vulnerable). If you don’t think your employer’s health and safety measures are enough to keep you safe, talk to your health and safety rep, union, or WorkSafe.
Yes, any changes or reductions to hours, tasks or pay outside your employment agreement need to be agreed with you and recorded in writing. If you can’t agree, your employer must go through a fair and proper process to restructure your hours, tasks or pay in consultation with you.
Yes, but only if you have accrued the leave (check your payslip) and only if they give you two weeks’ notice. You can agree another arrangement with your employer, but you must treat each other with good faith.
Community Law has put together an excellent flow chart to help you understand your rights as an employee: https://socialink.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Employment_flowchart_2_April_2020_v1.pdf
As at Wednesday 17 February 2021
The Government’s Employment website is the best place to go for up to date advice on your obligations and rights as an employer: https://www.employment.govt.nz/leave-and-holidays/other-types-of-leave/coronavirus-workplace/
If in doubt, get legal advice.
You can operate so long as you comply with the Government’s “Golden Rules” for safe operation and you’ll need a COVID-19 safety plan that sets out how you’ll operate safely.
The Golden Rules require you to keep your kaimahi and the public safe by limiting face-to-face contact and reducing the potential spread of COVID-19 using measures such as physical distancing and additional hygiene protocols:
Check the health.govt.nz website or https://covid19.govt.nz/business-work-and-money/business/doing-business-at-alert-level-2/ for advice. WorkSafe has some excellent guides on your health and safety obligations to your kaimahi and on keeping them safe during this period: https://worksafe.govt.nz/
Yes, you still have the usual health and safety obligations to your kaimahi while they are working remotely. WorkSafe has some excellent guides on your health and safety obligations to your employees and on keeping employees safe during this period: https://worksafe.govt.nz/
As at Wednesday 17 February 2021
Did you know that the NZ COVID Tracer Mobile App now includes Bluetooth tracing. This means it will be able to alert you when you’ve been near another app user who tests positive for COVID-19.
Once the update has been installed, you will be able to turn on Bluetooth Tracing. If your phone is compatible, it will ask for permission to use your phone’s Exposure Notification System. This is entirely optional but strongly recommended.
If you have an Android phone, it might take a few minutes for it to confirm whether your device supports Bluetooth tracing. Please be patient and check back later if you need to. You can read more about compatibility requirements for Bluetooth tracing on our website.
Yes, whether or not you choose to participate in Bluetooth tracing, you should also continue to scan the official QR codes wherever you see them.
QR codes allow us to create a private record of the places we’ve been, while Bluetooth tracing allows us to create an anonymised record of the people we’ve been near. Both are important for contact tracing.
Bluetooth tracing uses radio waves to allow your phone to securely exchange randomised ‘keys’ with other nearby phones up to around 2 metres away.
When an app user tests positive for COVID-19, the contact tracing team will ask them to upload their Bluetooth keys. If you were near enough to that person for long enough to be at risk of exposure, you will receive a Bluetooth alert.
The Bluetooth alert will give you advice on what you need to do to protect yourself and your whānau to help stop the spread of the virus.
Watch a short video here for an overview of Bluetooth tracing.
Protecting your privacy has been one of our top priorities throughout the development of NZ COVID Tracer.
Bluetooth tracing doesn’t involve exchanging any identifying information. Anyone who receives a Bluetooth alert won’t know who sent it or where they were when they were exposed to the virus.
Similarly, your digital diary of scanned QR codes and manual entries is stored securely on your phone where only you can see it.
The app has been endorsed by the Privacy Commissioner due to its focus on privacy.
We have also released the source code so you can see for yourself how the app manages your data.
Bluetooth tracing requires iOS 13.5+ on iPhones or Android 6.0+ on other phones. Phones with Android must also support Bluetooth Low Energy and have access to Google Play Services.
If your phone does not support Bluetooth tracing, you can still scan the QR codes to keep a private record of the places you visit, and will still receive location alerts if you have them enabled.
NZ COVID Tracer will update by itself if you have automatic updates enabled.
You can also manually update the app through the App Store (for iPhones) or the Play Store (other phones). Instructions can be found on the Ministry’s website.
If you experience any problems using the app, please contact the app support team at help@covidtracer.min.health.nz or on 0800 800 606.
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