Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Rotorua in red! City moves into traffic light system

Covid in Rotorua
• Tourism operators ready for day one of the traffic light system
• Two new cases in Rotorua, one in BOP, library and bar among new locations of interest
• Rotorua and Taupō councils bar unvaccinated from most public facilities
• Rotorua bakery opts out of enforcing vaccine passes

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

Rotorua joined Auckland, Northland, Taupō, Kawerau, Whakatane, Ōpōtiki Districts, Gisborne District, Wairoa District, Rangitikei, Whanganui and Ruapehu Districts at the red setting at 11.59 last night.

The rest of the North Island and all of the South Island went into orange.

Wilson's Barber Shop owner Glen Atkinson said so far today it had been hit and miss with the vaccine passes.

"Most have had the passes but some haven't. We've had a couple of clients booked in but when asked they didn't have it.

"But so far so good, at the moment everyone has been kind."

He said they would lose some {customers} and gain some.

Wilson's Barber Shop owner Glen Atkinson. Photo / Shauni James

"It will be hard for a lot of people. That's the rules though. We've got to do it."

Ngongotaha Cafe Dynasti owner Liz Todd said in general the morning had been "pretty cruisy".

"Some people are still confused. They say, 'Oh did that start today?' things like that.

Vaccine pass sign at Cafe Dynasti in Ngongotaha.

"We tell them, no vaccine pass, no entry and that's just the law."

Todd said most people were pretty understanding. "Some people go back and get their pass if they've forgotten it.

Staff at Cafe Dynasti in Ngongotahā have helped customers download their vaccine passes. Photo / Maryana Garcia

"The girls have helped a couple of people download their passes."

One Rotorua shopper, who wished to remain anonymous, said she had found the first day of the traffic light system and vaccine passes fine.

"I'm very happy to do anything that keeps people safe," she said.

She said the only thing that had been tricky with getting the vaccine passes was having to have three different emails for everyone in the household. She hoped that elderly and disabled people who might have trouble with this sort of thing had enough support in place.

Ngongotaha based hypnotherapist Caroline Back said she found the vaccine passes simple to get and easy to use.

"I think it's in place to keep us all safe in the unprecedented times."

Back, who had just been to a cafe with friends, said so far she hadn't encountered any problems.

"We'll see how it goes. So far it's working fine."

However, Back did anticipate there would be some practical difficulties.

Caroline Back. Photo / Maryana Garcia

"You do forget your phone sometimes."

She also said getting vaccination passes for children over 12 who didn't have devices could be complicated.

The inability to get vaccine passes for shared email addresses could also cause problems.

"Everyone just needs to be kind and patient with each other."

Vaccine requirements

My Vaccine Pass will be soon required at most Rotorua and Taupō venues and facilities for people aged 12 and over.

Rotorua's vaccine pass requirement will kick in straight away, while Taupō will give people until December 15 - when the Auckland border will open - to get ready and vaccinated.

Rotorua's civic centre, Ta Aka Mauri - library, aquatic centre, Long Mile i-SITE, crematorium, and wastewater treatment plant will be off-limits to unvaccinated people while Rotorua is in red.

A vaccine pass will be required for council events at Energy Events Centre and Rotorua International Stadium, while the organisers of private events will have to provide a Covid management plan for council approval.

The council said in a statement this was seen as the "best way to ensure the safety of our community and minimise the spread of Covid-19".

Swimming pools, libraries and the Superloo are among the Taupō public facilities unvaccinated people will not be able to use from December 15.

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.