Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Rotorua businesses and MPs on the easing of vaccine mandates

Vaccine mandates for workers should be eased "sooner rather than later" once the peak of Omicron passes, a hospitality business owner says.

But one politician says easing Covid health measures and restrictions as early as March was "concerning".

It comes as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday the most stringent Covid settings could begin to be eased as soon as next month.

This would begin the process of a gradual easing of Covid health measures, which would include the eventual end of some vaccination mandates, she said.

Ardern did not give any firm date for ending restrictions, saying it would only come once the country was on the other side of the peak in Omicron cases which was likely to happen "roughly mid to late March, only three to six weeks away".

She said once the country was on the other side of the Omicron peak the traffic light settings would change, given the threat to hospitals and the health system had passed.

"We'll be able to look at moving back through the traffic lights," Ardern said, noting gathering limits would ease."

Ardern said the Government would look to "ease mandates in places where they are less likely to impact vulnerable people," although she added that mandates would "remain important in some areas for some time".

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo / NZME

Pig and Whistle Historic Pub and Capers Epicurean owner Gregg Brown said "it makes sense" for Ardern not to remove mandates prior to the Omicron peak.

"But sooner rather than later after it starts to subside, we'd like to see some of the mandates be reduced and I think the narrative to change really - the fear factor that's running through the population is not helping."

Brown said the first mandate to end should be the one preventing unvaccinated children from playing sport.

Vaccine passes cannot be used for activities that are part of the school curriculum, such as physical education or swimming lessons during school time. But any extra-curricular activities - like after school sports training or weekend games - currently come under the traffic light system and are subject to gathering limits.

"And then I'd like to see the workforce come back.

"We need every police officer we can get. We need every nurse and doctor we can get, teachers, all of those people that are currently excluded from the workforce.

"The country needs them back."

Waiariki MP Rawiri Waititi. Photo / George Novak

Waiariki MP Rawiri Waititi said the idea to gradually ease Covid health measures and restrictions potentially in March was "a concerning whakaaro" [consideration].

Māori made up the highest percentage of all hospitalised cases in Aotearoa at 37 per cent and tangata whenua were the "most at-risk group" for Covid, he said.

"Omicron has not long been in Aotearoa and we are experiencing the highest number of Covid cases daily than ever before in this country.

"My concern is for the suggested removal of health measures as we approach the cold winter months ahead and the reality of what this will mean for our whānau in the Waiariki, many of whom due to Covid, will be extra worried about keeping their families healthy, warm and with kai on the table this winter.

"The removal of these health measures too soon could be detrimental for our people - the storm before the calm should not have to be weathered by Māori."

Waititi said the Te Pāti Māori's Covid-19 pandemic response plan policy had "always been opposed to government vaccine mandates".

"We have always believed that the emphasis should be on uplifting community-led tikanga."

Markets Twelve 21 business development executive Julia Haira said there was "a light at the end of the tunnel" when it came to Covid restrictions ending. Photo / Andrew Warner

Markets Twelve 21 business development executive Julia Haira said: "The current climate is that there are a lot of people are terrified to come out of their houses."

Once restrictions started easing, the hope was small business owners, in particular, could do better than they currently were, she said.

"There is a light at the end of the tunnel ... I think most of the business owners within the markets are aware of that light and that there just needs to be a little bit of patience before the ball starts rolling again."

Rotorua-based Labour List MP Tamati Coffey said the eventual ease of restrictions once the Omicron peak passed was "the right thing to do".

"We've only ever had restrictions in place to try to manage the spread of Covid in the community ... This year will be the year that we open up to the rest of the world and reconnect ourselves like the good old days.

"Taking these smaller steps on the pathway to that ultimate goal is what the Prime Minister talked about [on Monday] and I welcome it. And I think most people in Rotorua welcome it too as long as we can do it safely."

Rotorua MP Todd McClay. Photo / Andrew Warner

Rotorua MP Todd McClay said many local people and businesses felt the announcement about easing the mandates was "vague".

"Particularly for businesses who are struggling under the current restrictions - they'd like more clarity so they can start planning."

McClay said Ardern also needed to give "a clear indication" of when international visitors who were double-vaccinated and tested negative could enter New Zealand without having to isolate.

Rotorua Treewalk director Bruce Thomasen agreed and wanted to know when international travel could happen without MIQ stays or isolation.

He hoped that could be in June or July if the peak of Omicron had passed by then.

"We need borders open and maybe ... it's Australia first and then [the] rest of the world later in the year."

Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Bryce Heard said a return to normality was "within our grasp" and urged Kiwis to have "a little patience".

"It has been a long journey, but it seems that we are nearing the worst of the medical phases of the pandemic."