Business Update - 27 January 2022

Business Update – 27 January 2022

27/01/2022

Support is Underway to Reduce Impact of Supply Chain Disruption

Supply, Chain

While the supply chain disruptions caused by the Omicron variant is inevitable, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said support is available for infected individuals, contacts, and businesses.

You can find details of the Leave Support Scheme, Small Business Cashflow Loan Scheme, Short-Term Absence Payment, and Events Transition Support Scheme below.

You can also use this Find COVID-19 Support tool to help you find the support options you’re eligible for.

The Finance Minister announced further targeted support measures may be made available in the coming weeks, as there are resources within the COVID Response and Recovery Fund that can be used to manage the immediate response to Omicron.

NZ-Cook Islands Travel Bubble Remains Open

Cook Islands has decided to keep its travel bubble with New Zealand open despite the spread of the Omicron variant. The Cook Islands has a double-dose vaccination rate of 99.6%, with 70% having had a booster.

Red Traffic Light Setting Explained

All of New Zealand moved to the red traffic light setting at 11:59pm on Sunday after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern due to the community spread of the Omicron variant. Here’s what you can and can’t do:

Anyone can travel around the country. You don’t need to be vaccinated or have a negative test result, unless you’re travelling by airline or ferry.
Vaccinated people can gather at home or at venues with a limit of 100 people, while unvaccinated individuals can gather at home or at venues that don’t require vaccine passes with a limit of 25 people.
Businesses can open with and without vaccine mandates, and employers must follow gathering limits.
Hospitality venues that use vaccine certificates can open to up to 100 people. Those who choose not to check vaccination status will have to go contactless.
Shops, outdoor markets, banks, and takeaway-only businesses can open with capacity limits based on 1-metre distancing.
Wearing of face masks is mandatory on certain settings such as on domestic flights, public transport, rideshare vehicles, inside a retail business, inside public venues or facilities, in indoor settings, and when visiting a health care service facility.

More information about the red setting can be found on the Unite Against COVID website.

Government Orders 5,000 Air Cleaners for Schools

The government has ordered 5000 portable air cleaners to be used in schools to combat the spread of COVID-19. However, just 500 of these are expected to arrive by March and the rest will arrive in June. Additionally, the government is distributing 2500 C02 monitors which can be used to check which areas are not already well ventilated.

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