At Red, we need to take action to protect our vulnerable communities and our health system from COVID-19.
About Red
At Red, there are some restrictions in place to protect our communities. You can continue to do everyday activities including:
- Meeting with friends and family
- Attending events and gatherings
- Going shopping
- Going to hospitality venues
- Accessing healthcare
- Attending early learning centres, schools and university
- Traveling
- Moving to a new house
There are capacity limits for some indoor settings. This is because we know COVID-19 spreads more easily indoors. Mask wearing is a key feature of Red. My Vaccine Passes are also no longer required.
Face masks at Red
As a general rule, you should wear a face mask whenever you are indoors. The exceptions are at your home or your place of work if it is not public facing. Your employer may encourage you to wear a face mask even if your job is not public facing.
We also encourage you to wear a face mask whenever you leave the house. There are some places where wearing a face mask is required, including:
- on domestic flights
- on public transport
- at arrival and departure points for domestic flights and public transport if they are indoors.
- if you’re aged 8 years or over or are a student who is in Year 4 or above on public transport and Ministry of Education funded school transport
- in taxis or ride-share vehicles
- inside retail businesses, e.g., supermarkets, shopping malls, pharmacies, petrol stations, and takeaway food stores
- inside public venues or facilities, e.g., museums and libraries, but not at swimming pools
- at vet clinics
- in indoor settings at schools, e.g., classrooms and assemblies. This includes visitors, workers, and students and teachers in Years 4 to 13
- inside tertiary education facilities
- when visiting a licensed early childhood service
- at food and drink businesses. You can take your mask off to eat and drink
- at close-proximity businesses, e.g., hairdressers, barbers, beauty salons
- when you’re at an indoor gathering, except when you have exclusive use of the venue or defined space
- in the public areas of courts, tribunals, local and central government agencies, social service providers, and NZ Police
- in the public area of premises operated by NZ Post Limited
- when visiting health care services, e.g., aged care facilities.
Some people must wear a face mask while they are at work — unless they are exempt.
You must wear a medical grade face mask if you work:
- in hospitality
- in a close-proximity business, for example if you are a hairdresser
- in a gym or indoor recreation facility
- at an event or gathering
- as a teacher of students in Years 4 to 13.
Face masks are no longer required outdoors at all traffic light settings. This includes venues, and outdoor arrival and departure points such as bus stops, or train stations.
Face masks must be attached to the face by loops around the ears or head. This means people can no longer use scarves, bandannas or t-shirts as face coverings.
Advice for people who cannot wear a face mask
We know that some people who have a disability or health condition may not be able to wear a face mask. The reason for their exemption may not be obvious. Please be kind.
If you have an exemption, you should not worry if a business owner or employee approaches you to ask whether you’re able to wear a mask. They are just ensuring the safety of you and others. It is not appropriate for a business owner or employee to ask about the nature of your disability or condition. However, it is reasonable for them to check whether you’re exempt from wearing a face mask.
Capacity limits at Red
You can have or attend an event or gathering at Red, for example, meeting friends, holding a wedding, or attending a place of worship.
There are no capacity limits if you’re holding your event or gathering exclusively outdoors, however there are capacity limits if it is in an indoor setting or between indoor and outdoor settings.
Outdoor events and gatherings
If the event is being held exclusively outdoors, there are no capacity limits.
Indoor events and gatherings
If the event is being held exclusively indoors, the capacity limit is 200 people in a defined space.
Capacity limits for individual venues are dependent on the size of the space. The capacity limit for indoor events is based on the maximum number of people who could occupy the space if each person was 1m apart. The maximum capacity for any indoor venue is 200. People do not have to keep 1 m apart at the venue.
Workers at events or gatherings (e.g. a wedding photographer or a caterer) are not included in the gathering limits. There is no limit on the number of workers who can work at a gathering.
Children and babies are included in the gathering limits.
Events and gatherings with indoor and outdoor spaces
If the event or gathering has both indoor and outdoor spaces, there can be up to 200 people inside and no capacity limits outside, provided the two settings are separate defined spaces.
If people are required to travel directly between indoor and outdoor spaces to purchase goods, or use bathroom facilities, then the retail rules apply. An example of this would be attending a sports match at an outdoor stadium where food services and bathrooms are located inside. If people are travelling between indoor and outdoor spaces to consume food, socialise, watch entertainment, or otherwise intermingle for any period longer than necessary to do the activities above then the indoor capacity rules apply to those defined spaces (i.e. capacity limit of 200 people).
A defined space is a single indoor or outdoor space separated from other spaces. If there is more than one defined space in the premises, the group of people using one space must not mix with other people using, entering or exiting the premises. This excludes workers.
Retail
The capacity limit for retail settings is based on the maximum number of people who could occupy the space if each person was 1m apart. There is no maximum capacity limit outside of this.
Hospitality
The capacity limit for indoor hospitality venues is based on the maximum number of people who could occupy the space if each person was 1m apart. The maximum capacity for any indoor hospitality venue is 200. Customers must be seated and separated from other groups.
If the hospitality venue is exclusively outdoors, there are no capacity limits.
If the hospitality venue has indoor and outdoor spaces, there can be up to 200 people inside and no capacity limits outside provided the two settings are separate defined spaces.
If separate defined spaces are not being used, the indoor capacity limits must be followed.
A defined space is a single indoor or outdoor space separated from other spaces. If there is more than one defined space in the premises, the group of people using 1 space must not mix with other people using, entering or exiting the premises. This excludes workers.
Schools and early learning centres
There are no capacity limits for schools or early learning centres.
Tertiary education
Indoor tertiary education facility capacity is based on 1m distancing. Physical distancing is not required, though tertiary providers may impose their own distancing requirements.
Other workplaces
The capacity limit for workplaces is based on the maximum number of people who could occupy the space if each person was 1m apart. There is no maximum capacity limit outside of this.
Vaccination requirements
My Vaccine Passes are no longer required. However, businesses can choose to continue using them.
Government vaccine mandates remain in place for some sectors because workers in these areas have frequent contact with people at risk of developing serious illness from COVID-19, or there is an elevated risk of COVID-19 exposure.
Travel
You can travel anywhere for any reason at Red.
If you’re planning to travel:
- Don’t travel if you’re unwell.
- Don’t travel if you have been told to self-isolate.
If you’re travelling into a different region with a different traffic light setting, you will need to follow the guidance for that area.
If you test positive for COVID-19 while away from home, you may need to isolate where you are staying. Make sure you have a plan in case this happens. You will need to cover your own costs if you need to self-isolate while travelling.
Face masks are required on all public transport and in ride share services, unless you’re able to be outside (for example, the deck of a ferry).
There are no physical distancing requirements on transport services or in airports, train stations or bus terminals.
Keep up healthy habits to protect us
Slow the spread of the virus by keeping up healthy habits.
- Stay home if you’re sick
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitiser
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow
- Clean or disinfect shared surfaces regularly
- Improve ventilation
- Keep your distance from people where possible