Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Orange life! Region moves into traffic light system

Covid in the Bay of Plenty
• Tauranga cafe trials vaccine pass ahead of traffic light system
• Positive case confirmed in Coromandel
• Unvaccinated barred from some Tauranga council facilities
• Two new cases in Rotorua, one in BOP, library and bar among new locations of interest

The country has said goodbye to alert levels and hello to the traffic light system with Tauranga adjusting to life at the orange setting this morning.

Tauranga joined the majority of the country at the orange setting at 11.59 last night.

Auckland, Northland, Taupō and Rotorua Lakes Districts, Kawerau, Whakatane, Ōpōtiki Districts, Gisborne District, Wairoa District, Rangitikei, Whanganui and Ruapehu Districts all moved into the red setting.

In Mount Maunganui, Goodburger general manager Mark Ralph said people had been "mostly understanding" this morning.

"Two people have shown up without vaccine passes. They were able to serve them takeaways, and one man sat on the bench outside the restaurant and drank his coffee."

Goodburger general manager Mark Ralph, right, and head chef Ivan Bosch. Photo / Talia Parker

Ralph said people mostly found the traffic light system clear.

"We just have to keep up to date."

He said it made sense to enforce the mandate, otherwise, they could only serve takeaways.

Cornerstone Bar and Eatery Tauranga duty manager Ayla Tito said it had been "so far so good" despite not having as much foot traffic as usual.

"But all the customers that we have had come through have been really compliant so we haven't had any issues as such."

She said the use of vaccine passes would affect the business in a "positive manner" as restrictions were lifted with the pass.

Cornerstone Bar and Eatery Tauranga duty manager Ayla Tito. Photo / Megan Wilson

Tito said there were "a couple of regulars" who had been going there for nine years that would not come anymore because they had not been vaccinated.

"Us as a business do pride ourselves on our regulars and service for those regulars so it's going to be sad to not see them in here anymore.

"We also lost a few good staff members as well because of the same thing so that has been a real bummer."

Jiin Kwon at Mount Maunganui's Deck Chair Cafe said things had been going well this morning with a waitress on the door scanning passes, and Kwon double checking they had been scanned at the register.

"Everyone has been kind and respectful. I think everyone was prepared."

Jiin Kwon at Mount Maunganui's Deck Chair Cafe. Photo / Talia Parker

She feels clear about the traffic light requirements.

"No one has complained or made a fuss."

She is concerned about the weekend rush, and how difficult it could be to keep someone scanning passes during the busy times.

Norma and David Reece used their vaccine passes at Dry Dock cafe in Tauranga CBD this morning.

David said downloading the vaccine pass was "a piece of cake" and using them was "a really good idea".

Vaccine pass required for entry sign in Tauranga. Photo / George Novak

He hoped vaccine passes would be an "instigator" for others to be vaccinated.

"I think people have rights of course but being vaccinated is a community thing, not just an individual thing. We're all in this together."

Vaccine requirements

Tauranga City Council announced Vaccine Passes from those who are double-vaccinated will be needed to enter its public facilities as the city moves into the new Covid-19 Protection Framework at Orange.

Visitors to council facilities, including staff, must wear a face covering and show their pass or a vaccine exemption from the Ministry of Health, before entering public facilities that are staffed.

This included customer service centres and council chambers, libraries, including the mobile library; managed Bay Venues facilities such as Trustpower Baypark, Baywave, other public pools, recreation and community centres, Baycourt Community and Arts Centre and Tauranga Art Gallery.

Meanwhile, cost was the main factor in a decision not to require proof of vaccination for entry into public facilities such as pools and libraries, for the Western Bay of Plenty Council.

The traffic light system explained

Red

Red will be used when there is an outbreak and the health system is facing an "unsustainable number of hospitalisations".

Unlike at current alert levels, everything will be allowed to remain open during an outbreak.

Hospitality will be open but patrons must be seated and separated. There will be a 100-person cap. Gyms and hairdressers will be allowed to remain open. These will all require a vaccine certificate.

Gatherings, including weddings, funerals, places of worship and marae, will be limited to 100 people based on 1m spacing if vaccination certificates are used. They will be limited to 10 people if they are not used.

People will still be encouraged to work from home.

For places where vaccination certificates are not used, settings similar to alert level 3 will apply, like contactless retail and hospitality.

Scanning in or record keeping continues to be required and masks are mandatory on flights, public transport, taxis, retail and public venues. It is recommended they are worn whenever leaving the house.

Orange

The orange level will indicate a limited outbreak, but there is an "increasing" risk to at-risk populations. The health system is "focusing resources" on Covid, but it can still manage as a whole.

For businesses that use vaccination certificates, there will be no numerical caps but some public health measures such as distancing, which will effectively cap numbers.

Schools are open, but there are public health measures. Gatherings, churches and marae will be able to operate as normal if they use vaccination certificates.

Scanning in or record keeping continues to be required and masks are mandatory on flights, public transport, taxis, retail and public venues. It is recommended they are worn whenever leaving the house.

Green

Green will mean effectively no public health measures. It is for when there is limited community transmission.

For businesses that use vaccination certificates, there are no limits on hospitality or gatherings.

For places where vaccination certificates are not used, restrictions like masking will be required and there will be caps of 100 people on hospitality and gatherings.

Scanning in or record keeping continues to be required and face coverings are mandatory on flights. People are encouraged to wear masks in indoor settings.