The Government has mandated COVID-19 vaccination requirements for both the education and health & disability sectors.
The COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021 will be updated to include full vaccination requirements for;
- Health & disability workers by 1st January 2022 (Delayed from 1st December 2021)
- Education sector by 1st January 2022
Health & disability workers
The requirements include the following health and disability sector workers:
- general practitioners
- pharmacists
- community health nurses
- midwives
- paramedics
- all healthcare workers in sites where vulnerable patients are treated (including Intensive Care Units).
- aged residential care workers
- home and community support services
- kaupapa Maori health providers
- Non-Government Organisations who provide health services.
Education sector
All schools and early learning services and providers will need to maintain a register, and ensure only vaccinated staff, including support people have contact with children and students.
This will include contractors, maintenance staff, aides and anyone who could have contact with children.
Secondary schools also need to keep a register of student vaccination status. Students who cannot provide evidence of vaccination must be considered unvaccinated.
All school employees in Auckland and all other Alert Level 3 regions will be required to return a negative COVID-19 test result before they can return to the workplace.
Those who are not fully vaccinated in the period leading up to 1st January 2022 must also be tested weekly for COVID-19.
Currently this does not affect universities and tertiary education providers.