Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Police assessing vaccine mandate, what roles, jobs are covered

As of yesterday, 88.8 per cent of police staff have received their first dose and 79.4 percent are fully vaccinated. Photo/ RNZ

By Gill Bonnett of RNZ

Police say they are assessing which staff have to be vaccinated under a new Government mandate.

Affected police officers will have to have one dose by the end of this month and be fully vaccinated by January 14 to continue in their jobs.

Which specific roles are covered by the Government mandate are still being worked through by police.

Education and healthcare workers already come under a vaccine mandate, and firefighters were told at the end of October they would need the first vaccine by this Monday, November 15, to comply.

But no announcement had been made about police - who also fall under the criteria of workers whose role involves being within two metres of a health practitioner.

Minister of Police Poto Williams said police had been granted an extension to the Vaccination Order.

"The compliance dates for police staff who may be affected are 29 November 2021 for the first vaccination and 14 January 2022 for the second vaccination," she said.

"Police are assessing which staff fall under the Order and will be communicating with those staff shortly."

As of yesterday, 88.8 per cent of police staff had received their first dose and 79.4 per cent are fully vaccinated.

A police spokesperson said NZ Police were working through the implications of the Health Order, and who it would cover within the organisation.

"Our staff have daily interactions with a wide cross-section of people, particularly those who are most vulnerable," she said.

"Police wants to ensure the highest levels of protection against the spread of the virus."

Internal Affairs minister Jan Tinetti yesterday said she was considering Fire and Emergency's request for a temporary exception to the vaccine mandate.

That followed fears from firefighters and their union that there would not be adequate emergency cover when the mandate came into force.

- RNZ