Coronavirus

The My Covid Record website is now live with vaccination certificates required for large summer events expected in late November.

The government has granted permission for the $3m-plus import of 300,000 Abbott PanBio Covid-19 Ag Rapid tests.

The tourism-reliant district needs to be ready – and highly vaccinated – for the return of visitors, says the mayor.

Northland and the regions of Waikato at level 3 will remain there until at least 11:59pm on Monday 18 October.

Northland and Waikato might be able move to level 2 this Thursday midnight.

“It provides cashflow to businesses and supports them to pay their bills while the country is at Alert Level 2 or above,” finance minister Grant Robertson says.

All of the top third of the North Island is at Covid-19 alert level 3.

From airlines to ski fields, tourism businesses are among the biggest applicants for support.

The government met business leaders today to discuss a rollout of the tests at workplaces.

The government has tagged 16 October as ‘vaccination day’ in bid to get the remainder of people in New Zealand inoculated against Covid-19.

The country’s largest airports are part of a group of companies asking for Covid-19 rapid antigen tests to be used at their worksites.

Tourism operators are starting to plan for an environment where Covid is always present.

People will need to be vaccinated to go to large summer events such as festivals and concerts.

PM Jacinda Ardern outlines the government’s new three-step plan to ease restrictions.

The loss of the Waikato market will whittle down already slim pickings for operators in neighbouring regions, already bracing for an absent Auckland market.

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern is scheduled to announce the government’s decision on Auckland’s Covid-19 alert level 3 status about 4pm.

Attractions are resetting their school holiday expectations with Aucklanders absent.

People may not be allowed to venture out of the region next week, even if other restrictions are lifted.

People relocating permanently, undertaking tertiary education, starting a new job, or moving into a new property, are now allowed to cross Auckland’s Covid-19 alert level boundary.

Penalties for failing to comply with Covid-19 requirements such as wearing a face covering where mandatory will increase to a maximum infringement fee of $4,000, or a $12,000 maximum court imposed fine from November.

Auckland’s drop to level 3 is welcomed but tourism businesses will suffer in lockdown for almost seven weeks.

PM Jacinda Ardern says the rest of NZ will remain at level 2 but the indoor cap of 50 people will lift to 100.

The three Waikato cases come as the government decides whether to shift Auckland from level 4 lockdown.

The 2 October start for the upcoming school holidays will remain unchanged in the event of any drop in alert levels for Auckland, despite the region clocking nearly six weeks of lockdown since mid-August.

Indoor gatherings at alert level 2 may lift from 50 to 100 people if Auckland drops to level 3.

Finance minister Grant Robertson says the cash will be used for further economic support as well as shoring up the country’s health, vaccine and managed isolation and quarantine systems. 

Two-way quarantine-free travel with the Cook Islands will probably only resume once New Zealand is back at Covid-19 alert level 1, says Cook Islands Tourism Corporation.

Why demanding vaccine ‘passports’ from customers raises questions about discrimination, inequality and coercion.

Smaller tourism businesses are failing, prompting calls for a rethink of the government’s elimination strategy.

The extension of Auckland’s level 4 lockdown for at least a week increases the likelihood of more businesses going out of business, says Hospitality New Zealand.

Auckland remains at level 4 until midnight Tuesday 21 September, the rest of NZ stays at level 2 until then.

The decision to keep Auckland at Covid-19 alert level 4 has triggered a third round of the wage subsidy scheme, which will open for applications at 9am this Friday.

The extension of Copvid-19 alert level 4 settings for Auckland and level 2 elsewhere into next week will be the final straw for many businesses, says National’s Todd McClay.

Fully vaccinated staff will go into a draw to win the cash, which has been put up to help drive double jabs.

Cabinet will decide this afternoon whether to reduce the Covid-19 alert level 4 setting for Auckland after receiving health advice.

The ACT Party says progress on proof of Covid-19 vaccination for travel purposes is too slow and will run into problems with verification due to the lack of requirement to show identification during the inoculation process.

Auckland’s Heart of the City is asking for more government support to get businesses through the current Delta outbreak.

Jacinda Ardern addresses concerns the government might be backtracking on its framework to reconnect NZ.

Tourism businesses are re-opening this week but getting viable customer numbers through will take longer.

The 50-person limit on indoor venues is another burden for already struggling operators, say industry groups.

The Ministry of Health is increasing its surveillance testing of border, quarantine and healthcare workers to help combat the spread of Auckland’s delta Covid-19 outbreak.

However, the move comes with new restrictions including lower caps on the number of customers a venue can host.

Mandatory record keeping kicks in midnight Tuesday, at the same time most of the country could move to alert level 2.

Credit defaults for accommodation and food firms are up by more than 40% in the May-July quarter compared to same period in 2019, according to the latest data report from consumer credit firm Centrix.

The government has extended its Resurgence Support Payment to include newly established businesses.

Auckland Airport says all of its front-line staff have been vaccinated against Covid-19, one month ahead of the government’s mandatory vaccination order. 

Businesses affected by the latest Covid-19 alert level lockdowns can apply for the next installment of the government’s reactivated wage subsidy from today, Friday 3 September.

The region will join the rest of the country south of Auckland at level 3.

Northland can move to level 3 this Thursday but Auckland will stay in level 4 lockdown until 14 September.

Businesses unable to operate at Covid-19 alert level 3 and even level 2 deserve more support, says the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce.