COVID-19 Update - Change in Alert Levels

The Government has today announced that all of New Zealand will remain in the Level 4 lockdown until 11:59pm on Tuesday 31 August. At this time all of New Zealand south of the Auckland boundary will move into Alert Level 3. Cabinet will meet on Monday 30 August to decide the Alert Level for Auckland and Northland, but the Prime Minister indicated today that it is likely Auckland and Northland will continue in Level 4 for a further two weeks from Tuesday.

The Government also announced there are some positive indications of a plateauing of cases, with today seeing 70 new cases all in Auckland, with a total of 347 active cases. 
Please continue to check the locations of interest and ensure you follow the isolation and testing requirements if they relate to you or your household members. Confirmed locations of interest can be found here. 

Please also continue to get tested if you have any symptoms.

Please click here to find out general information regarding this outbreak.

Working at Level 4
Please continue to stay home unless it is for essential personal movement such as exercise in your local area, going to shop for groceries and accessing necessary healthcare. We need to do our part in protecting ourselves and our loved ones.

It is only very rare circumstances that you will be able to operate your business at Level 4. Building, construction and maintenance services are only able to operate during COVID-19 Alert Level 4 restrictions if they meet the Government criteria of Alert Level 4 businesses and services. This includes:

·         Any entity involved in building, construction or maintenance related to nationally important infrastructure that enables or supports supply chains that are needed for one or both of the following: to provide for the current needs of people and communities, and; to enable or support the immediate recovery of the whole or any part of New Zealand from the effects of COVID-19

·         Any entity involved in any work required to address immediate health or safety risks

·         Any person undertaking any necessary work in any premises to maintain the condition or value of, or clean, the premises, or any plant, equipment, or goods in the premises

·         Any entity with statutory responsibilities or that is involved in building and resource consenting necessary for the purposes stated above.

The CHASNZ Level 4 COVID-19 protocols have been updated for Residential, Horizontal and Vertical Construction. These are new health & safety protocols for vertical, horizontal and residential construction under Alert Level 4 which cover:

·         Links to government defined essential construction work

·         Encouraging business promotion of vaccines for workers

·         Face covering requirements for essential work

Visit the CHASNZ website to see the latest level 4 protocols

For any further questions relating to the building and construction sector please email  info@building.govt.nz. 

For more information on essential businesses, you can contact AL4businessservices@mbie.govt.nz or call 0800 424 946

Education at Level 4
At Alert Level 4, all education facilities are closed.

Face coverings
Face coverings are now mandatory for all people (employees and customers) over the age of 12 at businesses and services operating at Alert Level 4, involving customer contact. 

All workers must wear masks when indoors and or when working within 2 metres of any other worker or member of the public or where there is a risk of coming into close contact with another person. Remember that you can only continue to work outside your home if it meets the Alert Level 4 requirements. Information on what these circumstances are included in the previous update (link to Wednesday’s update).

More information regarding the Level 4 requirements can be found here.

Working at Alert Level 3
The government announced today that it will provide more information regarding the Alert Level 3 requirements at the announcement on Monday August 30th. However, for now it is indicated that the alert level 3 requirement will largely remain the same, with the addition of the current mandatory face covering requirements. The current Level 3 requirements are set out below.

Alert Level 3 allows for the opening of some businesses, including those in the building and construction sector. The main rules for operating a business under Level 3 are:

·         If your business requires close physical contact it cannot operate.

·         All other businesses can operate, but with restrictions. This includes physical distancing, having extra hygiene measures and contactless options for ordering, pick-up, delivery and payment.

·         If your business does not have measures in place to operate safely, then you should close.

·         It is recommended that staff work from home if they can.

·         Basic hygiene measures legally must be maintained. Physical distancing, hand washing and regularly cleaning surfaces. Workers legally must stay home if they are sick.

·         Staff legally must remain a minimum of 1 metre apart at all times where practical. Other measures, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) including face coverings, we recommend being used where appropriate.

·         Businesses need to display a QR code and have an alternative contact tracing system. It It is recommended you make sure people either scan in or provide their contact details. 

·         Customers cannot come onto your premises — unless you are a supermarket, dairy, butcher, fishmonger, greengrocer, petrol station, pharmacy or permitted health service.

·         Your business legally must be contactless. Your customers can pay online, over the phone or in a contactless way. Delivery or pick-up legally must also be contactless.

·         You legally must meet all other health and safety obligations.

More information about what Alert Level 3 means for you can be found here.

It is essential that all workplaces must operate safely – keeping distance between workers, recording who is working together, limiting interaction between groups of workers, disinfecting surfaces, and maintaining high hygiene standards. To do this, you must have a COVID-19 control plan in place, with appropriate health and safety and physical distancing measures for both staff and any building occupants (especially if you are doing house renovations). 

CHASNZ has updated the protocol for the current Level 3 requirements, including around the wearing of face coverings. The CHASNZ protocols will continue to be updated as further requirements are announced.

Make sure those you work with are also aware of the protocols. You can find the latest CHASNZ level 3 protocol here.

Education at Level 3
At Alert Level 3, children and young people should learn from home. Schools will be only be open for those children whose parents or carers need to go to work. Play centres and playgroups must close, while tertiary providers must operate online study only, limited face to face learning can occur if it meets public heath guidelines. For more information on education requirements under Level 3 please see here.

Travel across Alert Level Boundaries
The same Auckland boundary as used in February will be used this time, with the main difference being that Northland is included in the Auckland boundary. Police will be setting up the same checkpoints and monitoring these to ensure there is no non-essential inter boundary travel. More information will be provided at Monday’s announcement, however, below is the current advice on travel across alert level boundaries.

·         Travel will only be allowed for specific reasons and within specific parameters. In order to travel across the boundary you will need to have proof that you either fit into a permitted activity or have a specific exemption to travel. The Business Travel Document is one form of accepted evidence. For example, freight or delivery vehicles could provide delivery dockets.

·         If you are permitted activity, you are already allowed to cross the boundary, but getting the official Business Travel Document will make the process of crossing a boundary much quicker and easier.

·         Exemptions will be limited to critical activity only. Requests will need to meet criteria and many requests will not be approved.

Applications for exemptions will open from this Sunday 29 August.

Vaccinations
Vaccines centres are open again and are operating under the appropriate Alert Level protocols. Vaccination bookings are currently open to those in Groups 1,2 and 3 and those in Group 4 aged 40 or over. If are booked in for a vaccine, you may now take those in your whānau who are aged 12-15 years old to be vaccinated with you.
For information on how to book a vaccine, please click here.

COVID-19 Business Support
The government's wage subsidy scheme has reopened for applications.The government's wage subsidy scheme has reopened for applications. Successful applicants will get $600 a week for each full-time employee they retain, and $359 a week for part-timers. The subsidy is for businesses whose revenue drops by 40 percent because of the lockdown. To access more information on the wage subsidy scheme and apply, please click here.

For those whose revenue drops by 30 percent, a separate resurgence support payment provides up to $1500, plus $400 per full-time worker. Applications for the RSP can be made via Inland Revenue Department’s website, which should begin accepting applications from early next week. Payments are expected to be made about three days after the lodging of the application.

NZ COVID Tracer app
Turn on Bluetooth tracing and scan in at all locations you visit using the NZ COVID Tracer app.  

All businesses must display the Government Covid-19 Tracer App QR code. Creating a code is simple, it takes five minutes. You only need your details and your company NZBN.
To create a code for your business, click here.

At all Alert Levels it is important that:

·         Any sick person stays at home and does not come onto site.

·         Sites maintain appropriate hand and surface hygiene.

·         All sites ensure proper sign-in and out processes are followed (for any person entering the site, including deliveries and inspections).  

Mental Health and Wellbeing
Master Builders is here 24/7 to support our members. We are continuing to provide our member counselling service, available anytime if you need support. You can call 0508 664 981 and be connected with professional, qualified support. Find out more by clicking here.

We understand this is a stressful time for many people. Please visit the Mates in Construction website for more information or call the national Telehealth Service on 1737. 

Future Announcements
Updates will continue to be sent to you as necessary. Click here to access the previous COVID-19 Member update.

Please look after yourselves and your loved ones.

Stay Safe. Kia Kaha. 
David Kelly