Vaccine mandate lifted for border and Corrections workers

Corrections workers will no longer be required to be vaccinated for Covid-19. Photo / NZME

Border and Corrections workers will no longer be required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, the Government says.

Today, it was announced the mandate will be lifted on July 2.

As of June 23, 100 per cent of Corrections staff in prisons and 97 per cent of active border workers were fully vaccinated.

Covid-19 Response Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said vaccine mandates have been under continuous review and the plan was always to remove them when it was "safe to do so".

"Vaccination has been one of our strongest and most effective defences to protect against Covid-19. It's helped protect our border and Corrections workers and their whānau. But we feel the requirement has served its purpose well.

"The risk Covid-19 poses at the border is much lower than it was previously. Alongside high rates of vaccination amongst border workers, the number of passengers arriving by air with Covid-19 is less than 3 per cent."

Verrall said the tool of vaccine mandates is no longer necessary at what she described as a lack of risk and the way the Government manages the pandemic in New Zealand.

The vaccination order, however, remains in place for health and disability workers as they continue to have close interactions with people who are at high risk of serious illness from Covid-19.

The settings for health and disability workers are reviewed regularly, Verrall said.