Some interesting questions and official answers are here
Wellington, December 13, 2021
Key things to Note:
Every region currently at Red, except for Northland, will move to Orange settings at 11:59 pm on December 30, 2021.
Free rapid antigen tests will be available at participating pharmacies for unvaccinated, asymptomatic people wanting to leave Auckland over summer
89% of eligible New Zealanders are now fully vaccinated, with the 90% mark projected for later this week
92% of fully vaccinated people have received their vaccine pass
There are 61 people currently in hospitals across New Zealand with COVID-19, four of which are in ICU.
There are 101 new cases in the community
Covid-19 Protection Framework update
Auckland, Taupo, Rotorua Lakes, Kawerau, Whakatane, Opotiki, Gisborne, Wairoa, Rangitikei, Whanganui, and Ruapehu will all move to Orange at 11:59 pm on Thursday, December 30, 2021
Northland will remain at Red: Several factors were considered by the Cabinet when making this decision, including vaccination rates, health system capacity, and the status of the current outbreak.
The next full review of the Traffic Lights will be in the week of January 17, 2022
Rapid Antigen Testing
From Wednesday, December 15, 2021, free rapid antigen tests will be available at participating pharmacies for unvaccinated, asymptomatic people wanting to leave Auckland.
This will be in place until the end of January, 2022.
Evidence of a supervised negative Rapid Antigen Test from a chemist will be required for unvaccinated travellers leaving the Auckland region and for domestic travel with some transport companies. 139 pharmacies within the region can administer a rapid antigen test for unvaccinated people, which must be taken within 72 hours of departure
Vaccination Update
89% of eligible New Zealanders are now fully vaccinated, with 94% having had their first dose. New Zealand is projected to hit 90% double vaccination later this week
Waitemata, Auckland, Capital and Coast, Hutt Valley, Canterbury and Southern DHB’s have reached 90% of eligible population fully vaccinated
17 DHBs have also passed the 90% first dose mark
92% of fully vaccinated people have received their Vaccine Pass
Vaccination breakdowns by DHB are available on the Ministry of Health website.
Ministry of Health – 101 community cases; 61 people in hospital, 4 in ICU is attached.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which regions are moving to Orange?
The Cabinet has decided that all areas currently in Red, excluding Northland, will move to Orange at 11:59 pm on December 30, 2021. Northland will remain at Red. As previously announced, no region will move to Green.
The traffic light settings will next be reviewed by Cabinet in the week of January 17, 2022.
What factors are considered when moving regions into different colour settings?
Factors considered include: vaccination rates, capacity of the health and disability system in a region, testing, contact tracing and case management abilities, transmission of Covid-19 within the community, the number of cases in regions and how they are spreading and the impact the virus might have on vulnerable populations.
Why are no regions in or planned to move to Green?
The government is taking a cautious approach in the implementation of the Covid-19 Protection Framework. We will continue to take a cautious approach in terms of different regions moving to different colour settings and some regions staying at their current setting for the moment. As we get used to the new framework, the preference is to take extra caution before moving regions to Green. Moving areas to Green too early risks needing to go back to higher restrictions.
Why is Auckland not moving to Orange sooner?
Auckland is one of our most highly vaccinated regions in the country but is also the centre of the current outbreak with over 6000 active cases being managed. At this stage despite high vaccination rates and with the Auckland boundary opening on Wednesday, the cautious approach means Auckland will not be moving to Orange until December 30, 2021.
Why has December 30, 2021 been chosen as the date for moving regions to Orange?
December 30, 2021 will be two full weeks of incubation cycles since moving to traffic lights on December 3, 2021 and provides enough time for any high levels of transmission occurring to have become obvious.
How will Police and WorkSafe be enforcing the new Traffic Light System?
There will be a graduated enforcement model in place to support business compliance, with an emphasis on education first as businesses adapt to the new requirements.
The Police are working with partner agencies to establish a compliance framework that will outline the most appropriate agency to respond.
Source: The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Wellington
