New mask rules say proper masks - no more scarves, bandanas and T-shirts pulled over the face. Photo / Alex Burton
New mask rules say proper masks - no more scarves, bandanas and T-shirts pulled over the face. Photo / Alex Burton
New mask rules in effect this month caused some confusion at an Auckland beauty store over the weekend but Retail NZ says most retailers are pretty clear on what's required.
A woman who visited Sephora Newmarket on Sunday with a cloth mask on was perplexed when given a surgical mask and told to wear it instead.
She thought it must have been the new mask rules but realised once she'd shopped at the store that it wasn't the case.
The Herald understands there was confusion on Sunday over the surgical masks, but that has been cleared up and visitors to the store can now wear their own face coverings.
Sephora declined to comment when approached by the Herald.
New mask rules announced in late January say face coverings must now be an actual mask and not makeshift scarves, bandanas, or T-shirts pulled up over the face.
"This is to ensure it is a mask that is designed to cover your nose and mouth properly," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had said.
People also have to wear masks at food and drink businesses, close proximity businesses, events and gatherings, except when eating, drinking or exercising.
Workers in roles under the vaccine mandate will have to wear a medical-grade mask when working in public-facing roles, which includes blue medical-grade masks.
A shop front in central Whangarei with instructions for mask wearing and a Covid tracer sign-in poster. Photo / Tania Whyte
All students Year 4 and up who have to wear masks in school are now also required to wear them on school buses and public transport.
The new mask rules will slow down the spread of Omicron, save lives and give the country more time to get people their third doses of the vaccine, the Government has said.
Retail NZ chief executive Greg Harford said he has not heard of confusion at other businesses, and the new rules are fairly well understood in the industry.
The bigger issue by far is customers not wearing masks at all, he says.
"There are thousands of incidents every week, where customers are choosing not to wear a mask in retail environments, and they're usually falsely claiming an exemption ... and getting quite aggressive with the retail workers."
People who are unable to wear masks because of a disability or health condition can request exemption cards from disability organisations like the Disabled Persons Assembly and Blind Citizens NZ.
Harford says the current process is problematic and they would like to see mask exemptions issued by the Health Ministry, just like vaccine exemptions.
"But at the moment we have a loose system where people can pretty much choose to self-identify as being exempt for whatever reason they like."
All of New Zealand moved to the red light setting at January 23 at 11.59pm, shortly after Omicron was detected in the community.
