COVID-19 Final Corrected Update #86 - Hakihea 2021 Rāmere, 3 Hakihea 2021COVID-19 Update Pānui no. #86.If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 COVID-19 Pānui no. 86 Kia tau tonu te ātawhai me ngā manaakitanga o te Runga Rawa kia tātou katoa. Today Aotearoa transitioned to the new COVID-19 Protection Framework. All parts of the country are now at the RED or ORANGE setting of the framework. This new system is dependent on the number of vaccinations for an area, the capacity of the health and disability system that operates there, covid transmission, and the impact of the virus on those vulnerable communities. Under the new framework your Vaccine pass is your passport to larger gatherings and events, retail business and public facilities. For those fully vaccinated, the ORANGE setting will be relatively normal and at RED there will be a limit of 100 people at some places. Police will be helping people adjust to the new protection system as transitioning may take some time. In this pānui we have included some FAQs about the new system that may help us to better understand how the new protection framework will operate. These are certainly challenging times e te whānau, nō reira kia kaha tonu tātou te tiaki i ā tātou anō. Current Situation: Today, there are 92 new cases in the community:
Ministry of Education Updates Funding settings under the traffic light system Emergency Closure Emergency Closure funding may apply while we are in the traffic light system if an early childhood service is directed to close by health officials, or a service is unable to open due to staff having to self-isolate. You should contact Te Tari Matua 0800 5642642 or email Yalla Edwards yalla@kohanga.ac.nz if you have queries about emergency closure funding. Absence Rules For permanently enrolled children who do not attend services under the RED setting in the traffic light system, you can use the EC12 exemption until moving into the ORANGE or GREEN setting. For funding to continue, from 2022 parents and caregivers will need to complete a ‘statement of intention to return’ or provide similar evidence that a child has not permanently left the service. More details on this process and timing will be provided in a bulletin next week. The Frequent Absence rule period will also be re-set from 1 February 2022. Funding cannot be claimed for children who are no longer enrolled. Discretionary Hours Due to current teacher supply constraints, we have relaxed the rules around the evidence required before using discretionary hours. For services that use discretionary situations, we have increased the number of discretionary situations (sessions or days) currently available per funding period from five to 10. Reminder for Tāmaki Makaurau EC12 exemption for Auckland services Traffic Light Settings for Rohe
Vaccination rates are one of the key considerations under the traffic light levels for each rohe. Some other considerations include the capacity of the health and disability system, covid transmission, and the impact of the virus on vulnerable populations. Rohe at the RED setting: Northland, Auckland, Taupō and Rotorua Districts, Kawerau, Whakatane, Ōpōtiki Districts, Gisborne District, Wairoa District, Rangitikei, Whanganui, and Ruapehu Districts. Rohe at the ORANGE setting: The rest of the North and South Island. Cabinet will review the settings and provide an update on Monday, 13 December. Following that, the next update by Ministers will be on Monday, 17 January, and will continue on a fortnightly basis. The same public health measures should continue to remain in place: good hygiene and cleaning practices, contact tracing, vaccination requirements for kaimahi (paid and unpaid), stay home and get tested if sick, good ventilation. Contact tracing and case management remains critical with contacts being identified, self-isolating, and getting tested. Physical distancing is only required at the RED setting, but the MoE recommends keeping a 1 metre distance between adults when inside, and where practicable. Events where additional adults and children will be attending will need to align with light settings gathering guidelines. Vaccination Rates of Māori by DHB
Māori Statistics to reach 90% For the Māori roll- so far 475,981 first doses (83%) and 399,397 second doses (70%) of total Māori 571,052 Isolation The increase of locations of interest and covid exposure means that many of our whānau maybe self-isolating at home. This is where we need the support of our wider whānau and community to ensure that our whānau are taken care of during these times. You can find a whole range of information and key contacts for isolation here at Unite against Covid Website. FAQ’s For new Traffic Light System Here is a range of FAQ’s that may help with your understanding of the new framework. Q. Do I have to wear a mask? A. At RED and ORANGE you are encouraged to wear a mask whenever you are out and about. There are some places that you must wear a mask. Go to the Unite Against COVID-19 website to find out more. Q. How does an area move between colour settings? A. Cabinet will review settings on 13 December, 17 January, and then at least every two weeks from that point. Before changing an area’s colour settings, Cabinet will consider:
Q. Who is responsible for enforcement of the ‘My Vaccine Pass’? A. Police and WorkSafe. People can report a breach of the traffic light rules on the Unite Against COVID-19 website. Q. Can I be fined for not wearing a mask where I am required to or for not using a My Vaccine Pass where it is required? A. Yes. Police will focus on helping people understand what the changes mean through its education and engagement approach. Q. Do businesses have to check every My Vaccine Pass? A. Businesses need to sight every pass, but don’t need to verify every single pass. Q. When should people get tested? A. People should get isolate and get tested if they have symptoms of COVID-19? Q. How long will the traffic lights be in place? A. Until further notice. Q. Will children under 12 have to present ID to prove they don’t require a My Vaccine Pass? A. No, this is not required. Some businesses may wish to ask for ID for children under 12 and they are permitted to do that. Q. Do restrictions on the Auckland Boundary come back on 17 January? A. No, the intention is for the Auckland boundary to lift at that point. Q. Can you travel freely into and out of RED areas? A. Yes. Auckland is an exception. More information on the Auckland boundary can be found on the Unite Against COVID-19 website. Q. Does it cost to get a COVID-19 test if you’re travelling around the country? A. Requirements by Air New Zealand for unvaccinated people to have a negative test before they fly fall outside of the public health response and must be arranged privately at their own cost. Testing for this purpose is not available at Community Testing Centres. Anyone who requires a test for this purpose must make arrangements for this themselves and cover any costs associated with testing. At this stage, testing of unvaccinated people who wish to leave Auckland is free, but the Ministry is currently reviewing its cost of testing policy under the new COVID-19 Protection Framework. Details on where this testing can be undertaken will be provided as soon as possible. Q. What is happening with the Northland boundary? A. In Northland, Police are working closely with Iwi to ensure visitors are welcomed after 15 December in a way that will help protect vulnerable communities. With the support of Iwi, Police will set up and manage checkpoints to confirm that those travelling from Auckland meet the requirements. Police will be very mindful of traffic flows, but the public can expect they may be stopped and spoken to by Police to ensure they are abiding by the requirements of the Public Health Order. Police will have a low tolerance for people attempting to travel north without meeting the requirements. Background, legislation for the traffic light system
All our pānui are uploaded to our Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust website. You can access our past pānui here. For any further assistance, ring 0800 KOHANGA or 0800 564 2642 Nō reira kia pai ngā rangi whakatā noho ora mai. Nāku noa, Angus Hartley Tumu Whakarae | Chief Executive |