The Whanganui District Library has for the last few months had a worker at the door checking vaccine passes. Photo / Lewis Gardner
The Whanganui District Library has for the last few months had a worker at the door checking vaccine passes. Photo / Lewis Gardner
The various councils that govern in the Whanganui region are considering when to open facilities to people unvaccinated for Covid-19 following the Government's peeling back of restrictions.
The Government last Wednesday announced it would scrap limits on outdoor gatherings over the recent weekend and that in one week it would also dump the requirement for vaccine passes to be used.
The Government is also ending the controversial vaccine mandates in education, Police and Defence Force workers from April 4.
Whanganui District Council will retain its restrictions on accessing its services and facilities until the Government's announced changes come into effect from next Monday.
Those facilities include the library, the Opera House, New Zealand Glassworks, the Whanganui Regional Museum and more.
Chief executive David Langford said the council was working through the detail of the Government's announcement made on Wednesday and hoped to announce any changes to its Covid-19 protocols early this week.
A sign on the Alexander Library door saying visitors will need a vaccine pass to get in. Photo / Lewis Gardner
Horizons Regional Council has required vaccine passes for people to enter its facilities and for its office and customer-facing staff to be vaccinated.
"We're pleased that we have not had to exit any full-time employees as a result," Horizons' chief executive Michael McCartney said.
But it was now time to "park" those policies, he said, and from today customers would no longer be asked for vaccine passes when visiting Horizons' facilities, McCartney said.
"However, we continue to recommend that customers make any enquiries or contactless payments online, where possible."
The regional council had been actively reviewing its Covid-19 vaccination policy following the Government changes last week, he added.
"Procedures such as producing negative RATs prior to entering the workplace and redeploying some staff means we have been able to navigate what has been a very complex situation."
But staff would no longer be required to both prove their vaccination status or show the results of a negative Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) to enter Horizons workplaces, McCartney said.
"However, all other good health habits such as the use of masks, sanitising, and encouraging staff to stay home and test if they have symptoms remain in place.
"Customers and contractors entering staff areas of a Horizons' workplace (including reception areas) are still asked to wear masks at all times unless they have a valid mask exemption."
He said Horizons staff would respect and follow the vaccination requirements of businesses or customers they dealt with.
"Unvaccinated staff who work with the Police or Education sector will need to comply with the vaccination mandates while they remain in place, and assess with individual education providers once they are lifted.
A spokesperson for South Taranaki District Council said it never had requirements for vaccine passes to enter any of its facilities and so no changes were needed.
Ruapehu District Council also never required vaccine passes to access its services and nor did it mandate staff to get vaccinated.
