Hawke's Bay businesses, schools react to Covid restrictions being relaxed

Bay City Gym in Marewa owners Chrissy and Hamish Newall are looking forward to some normality returning to the gym. Photo / Warren Buckland

Hawke's Bay business owners say the announcement to scrap vaccine passes and some Covid mandates will hopefully bring back some "normality" and "unity" to the region, but people should remain vigilant.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Wednesday that some Covid restrictions would be relaxed from April 5.

That includes vaccine passes and QR codes no longer being required and some mandates being scrapped, which currently require a long list of workers to be vaccinated.

Workers in the education sector such as teachers will no longer legally need to be vaccinated to work from that date, and businesses currently operating with vaccine passes such as gyms, hair dressers, cafes, bars and restaurants will also be able to employ unvaccinated staff once again.

The only sectors where the mandates for vaccinated staff will remain are health, aged care, Corrections staff, and border and MIQ workers.

Gathering limits in outdoor settings will also go from Saturday meaning the return of concerts and crowds to sporting events.

Hawke's Bay Primary Principals Association secretary and Bledisloe School principal Carol Bevis said it was important to note nothing would change in the short term in local schools.

"If staff are currently working in a school they will be fully vaccinated."

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement on Wednesday. Photo / NZME

She said most schools, like Bledisloe School in Taradale, would await advice from the Ministry of Education around what to do in the coming months before making any staffing changes.

Bevis said Bledisloe School was not struggling with staff shortages. However, she said other schools may consider employing unvaccinated staff following advice.

"Schools will make their own individual choices about who they will employ," she said.

"I will await advice from both the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education and our union because there will be a whole lot of employment law around what we are and are not allowed to ask for [when it comes to hiring]."

Marjan Lofty at her barber shop in Napier. Photo / Warren Buckland

Napier's Bay City Gym owner, Chrissy Newall, said the dropping of vaccine passes was good news for her gym, and it had been a stressful process implementing the process in December.

"For us, it will be nice to have a little bit of normality regardless of what people's opinions of the whole vaccine pass are - whether you are for it or against it.

"I think anything that is going to bring back a little bit of unity [is good]," she said.

"What we will do is still take precautions and have our Covid-19 cleanliness still in place, because we do obviously empathise with people who have underlying health conditions that want to stay fit and healthy."

Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce CEO Karla Lee said it would be welcome news particularly for hospitality businesses in need of staff.

"The changes to mandated workforces for hospitality in particular will help to alleviate pressure on an already stretched system.

"Not only will this open up opportunities for employment and recruitment, it will also allow businesses to distribute existing staff within the business effectively.

"Removing the requirement of checking vaccine passes may assist in freeing up these team members to perform other tasks within the business."

She said it was important to remember every business has unique operating needs and they have the flexibility to continue utilising these tools if needed.

MJ's Barber Shop, in Napier, owner Marjan Lofty said it would be good to welcome back those customers who had not been able to get their hair cut.

"All of our clients have been really good with the vaccine pass, we had about 10 customers who were not vaccinated," she said.

"We have clients waiting to come back and have said 'we understand'.

"They have been waiting a long time and understand that we have to follow the rules."

She encouraged people to remain careful and not go out with symptoms, but said it may see a boost for local businesses.

"Come out and enjoy the city and Napier and try to support all the local businesses."

Hastings District Council confirmed it would be removing vaccine pass requirements from all its facilities and administration buildings from April 5.

Napier City Council said it would phase out its requirements for vaccine passes at its public facilities, beginning from Saturday, March 26.

Meanwhile, Hawke's Bay had 1064 new cases of Covid on Wednesday, with 39 people in hospital.