November 24 2021
The managed isolation system at NZ's border is being dismantled for fully vaccinated Kiwis and travellers will be able to bypass it from early next year. It comes as officials announced there are 215 Covid-19 cases today.
Teething problems and glitches are threatening to hamper the early rollout of the vaccine pass when it gets its first run tomorrow as Auckland's hairdressers reopen their doors.
Those glitches include the potential for unvaccinated people to download other people's vaccine passes and use them to falsely enter barbershops -and later cafes and bars when they reopen.
Elderly and disabled people - who don't have a passport, driver's licence or birth certificate issued on or after 2003 - are now also reporting having difficulties providing enough ID proof to get their passes.
Their issues come on top of similar problems some overseas-born residents have been experiencing in getting their passes.
One woman who didn't wish to be named said she and her husband had found it is very easy to send a download link for their passes to another person.
She worried that unless bars and cafes asked to also see a photo ID when checking vaccine passes, then unvaccinated people could easily use another person's pass to enter.
"I'll imagine there will be a lot of busy restaurants and bars where you will just have to show your vaccine passport and not your photo ID," she said.
She said she feared for her own safety, being a nurse and her husband a doctor who were both double vaccinated in April, meaning their immunity may be waning slightly.
Aucklanders will finally be able to do more than just picnic when the new traffic light system starts on December 3. But will the vaccine pass be ready. Photo / Dean Purcell
She also said anyone with children under 12 - who cannot yet be vaccinated - would also be worried by the potential for the passes to be misused.
"It seems really poor by the Government to put a system in place like this," she said.
Passes are set to pay a pivotal role in New Zealand society.
With the country moving away from lockdowns, each pass will act as proof the person holding it has had both their Pfizer jabs.
The passes will be needed to enter most bars, cafes and hairdressers under the Government's new Covid management traffic light system as well as all music festivals, rugby games and major events.
New Zealand is set to move into the traffic light system at 11.59pm on December 2.
However, the vaccine pass will be trialled before that by hairdressers, when they are given the opportunity to open.
Chantal Landais, owner of Chantal Landais Hair Studio in Herne Bay, said she had trouble initially yesterday downloading the Government's vaccine pass verifier app, which is used to check the passes presented by customers.
However, she had since been able to do so today without problem, and all her staff had also been able to download their vaccine passes.
After more than three months being closed, she expected the first few days of reopening to be chaotic and she was hopeful the Government's vaccine pass verifier app worked well as she will have her hands full handling customers and bookings.
Deputy PM Grant Robertson earlier said the verifier app may not be 100 per cent perfect tomorrow.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking, he acknowledged that was why Auckland hairdressers and barbers had been chosen to open up before the nationwide move to the traffic light system.
He said that particular industry had been chosen as a smaller number of people are involved when getting a haircut than there are in a busy restaurant, for example.
But while businesses are juggling with the finer details, Rosie Bradbury said some elderly and disabled Kiwis are likely to get left behind by the new passes.
She pointed to her 90-year-dad and her disabled brother.
Neither drive - and so don't have driver's licences - and neither hold a passport as they aren't likely to travel overseas anytime soon.
When helping them apply for their vaccine passes online at the My Covid Record site, she found that the third form of acceptable proof is a birth certificate issued on or after 2003.
However, of her family members' certificates are older.
To get a newer birth certificate, they have to each pay $33 and then wait an unknown time for it to be sent to them.
She said $33 is a significant amount to those on a benefit.
Hairdresser Mel Harema is preparing to reopen The Spot salon in Mt Albert. Photo / Dean Purcell
She proposed allowing people to get their vaccine passes by instead supplying their National Health Index (NHI) number.
"Thirty-three dollars is far too much for those on a benefit, and it will mean people won't get vaccine passes," she said.
Cutting these people out from services such as the hairdresser, or getting a coffee with friends could have a big impact on their lives, she said.
Foreign nationals have also had trouble applying for their passes through the My Covid Record site.
Specifically, applicants are asked to supply a New Zealand driver's licence, passport, birth certificate or citizenship certificate, or an Australian passport or birth certificate.
One reader, who supplied their contact details to the Herald but requested anonymity, said: "My wife, who's American but a NZ resident, can't access the My Vaccine Pass as she has none of the ID required".
"This is despite having a RealMe account and an NHI number and being vaccinated. She can't even request a letter."
A Ministry of Health spokesperson yesterday told the Herald that foreign nationals who could not complete the My Vaccine Pass process online could phone the ministry on 0800 222 478 to get one arranged.
The Herald tried the 0800 number multiple times yesterday morning but met an engaged signal, and no message, each time.
The Herald has also sought comment from the Ministry of Health on whether it is concerned about unvaccinated people using the passes of others to falsely enter and whether it has any plans to waive the $33 fee for applying for new birth certificates.
