The Government yesterday announced that all of New Zealand outside of Auckland will move to Alert Level 2 at 11.59pm tonight (Tuesday 7th Sept). Auckland remains at Alert Level 4. This will be reviewed by the on Monday 13 September.
From 11:59pm Thursday, essential workers including truck drivers moving over the Auckland boundary will need to have had a swab test within the last 7 days. Swab testing is available at community testing sites around Auckland or at GP practices and urgent care clinics. A list of testing locations can be found here. Testing will be free of charge and no stand down periods will apply while workers wait for test results.
Travelling directly through the Alert Level 4 area to get from one Alert level 3 area to another is permitted. The driver and passengers must carry evidence that the travel is required. This may be a Business Travel Document (from the MBIE travel register) or a letter or similar document from the business that explains the purpose of the travel and the destination. Everyone travelling in the vehicle must have photo ID.
Click here for more information about travel through the Auckland Alert level 4 region.
Reminders for businesses operating at Levels 3 & 4:
Home bubbles and travelling to & from work:
- Reinforce to staff that people attending work must commit to their home bubbles.
- Visiting or interacting with other home bubbles or households is unacceptable and places themselves, your team and your business at risk.
- Travel to & from work must be done individually, or with members of home bubbles. Sharing vehicles outside home bubbles is not allowed.
- All workers must scan into work each day using the business QR code, or a signing sheet.
- Non-essential workers must work from home.
- Only the minimum number of workers are to be on site to undertake essential tasks.
Mask wearing in the workplace:
- Indoors: Wear masks when you are indoors with others.
- Outdoors: When you are within 2 metres of another person.
- Masks are not required when working alone, or at a distance greater than 2 meters.
Freight pick up and deliveries:
- Freight deliveries and pick ups must be contactless.
- Drivers must scan your business QR code, or sign in manually, on arrival at your site.
- Drivers must wear a mask when out of the vehicle.
- Freight should be unloaded into a designated area, away from workers.
- No direct contact or close interaction between drivers and your team.
- Unloading vehicles should be done either by the driver, or your workers, not both.
Businesses operating at Level 2:
- Masks are mandatory when dealing with the public, e.g. when serving customers in the retail store.
- They are mandatory when dealing face to face with customers or visitors in the workplace (indoors or outdoors).
- Drivers must wear a facemask when out of the vehicle.
- Other than customer facing activities, masks are not mandatory in the workplace at Level 2.
Matthew Dolan | Chief Executive
New Zealand Plant Producers Incorporated