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The Prime Minister announced on Saturday night (27 February) that due to two new community cases, alert levels changes will be implemented – in place from 6am, 28 February for at least 7 days.
The new alert levels are:
- Auckland is at Alert Level 3
- The rest of New Zealand is at Alert Level 2
- The Alert Levels will remain in place for at least 7 days
Details on the latest case:
- The latest community case announced on Saturday evening is a 21-year-old male, the older sibling of a Papatoetoe High School student. (The mother of this person has also tested positive for Covid-19, indicating early signs of infection.)
- The new case was a family member of a student from Papatoetoe High School who has tested negative 3 times before and had no known symptoms – that means there is no current link to the current cluster and is one of the reasons for the Alert Level change.
- The latest case developed symptoms last Tuesday and has been in the community since that time, which is of concern to the Government and is another of the reasons for the Alert Level change.
- They were tested on Friday and the positive result was received today.
- Genomic sequencing is under way to establish where the latest community case came from
Current locations of interest can be found here.
We unfortunately find New Zealand hospitality businesses again faced with a last minute closures and restrictions on trading, placing significant financial and emotional strain on our business owners and staff.
Government financial support available
The Government has indicated that the Wage Subsidy Scheme, and the Resurgence Support Payment will apply in this case, available for businesses to access when they meet eligibility criteria. We will update members as further details become available on applying for the wage subsidy scheme.
Resurgence support payment
The new Resurgence Support Payment is to help businesses directly affected when there’s a move to Alert Level 2 or above for a week or more. The payment is structured to provide most support to smaller firms who are most likely to face cashflow issues, but when activated it is available to all businesses and sole traders.
The payment includes a core per business rate of $1,500 plus $400 per employee up to a total of 50 FTEs ($21,500). Firms that experience a 30% drop in revenue over a 14-day period will be eligible.
More information available here.
Wage subsidy scheme
The Wage Subsidy Scheme is in place if there is an escalation to Alert Levels 3 or 4 anywhere in New Zealand, for 7 days or more. Payment rates will be:
- $585.80 for people working 20 hours or more per week (full-time rate)
- $350.00 for people working less than 20 hours per week (part-time rate).
Support will be provided in two-weekly payments and total support will match the duration at Alert Level 3 or 4 rounded to the nearest fortnight.
As with the COVID-19 Wage Subsidy paid earlier, the payment is to support employers (or self-employed people) to pay their employees.
COVID-19 Short-term Absence Payment
A new COVID-19 Short-term Absence Payment is available to help businesses keep paying eligible workers who:
- cannot work from home and
- need to miss work to stay at home while waiting on a COVID-19 test result (in line with public health guidance).
There’s a one-off payment of $350 for each eligible worker.
Parents or caregivers who need to miss work to support their dependents who are staying at home awaiting a test result will also be eligible. COVID-19 Short-Term Absence Payment
COVID-19 Leave Support Scheme
The COVID-19 Leave Support Scheme continues to be available. It’s paid as a lump sum and covers 2 weeks per eligible employee. It’s paid at a flat rate of:
- $1176.60 for people who were working 20 hours or more per week (full-time rate)
- $700 for people who were working less than 20 hours per week (part-time rate).
The Leave Support Scheme is for employees and self-employed people who meet certain health criteria (for example workers who are sick with COVID-19 or meet the other eligibility criteria). COVID-19 Leave Support Scheme
Other support schemes
Other support retained includes the Business Finance Guarantee Scheme, which is being extended to June 2021 with additional availability and flexibility, and Small Business Cashflow Scheme, which has also recently been extended.
A reminder of the golden rules under Alert Level 3 & 2:
LEVEL 3
The Restaurant Association guidelines for operating at Level 3 are available here.
General principles for operating at Level 3
- Businesses must take health measures to keep their workers safe – maintain physical distance between workers, recording who is working together, limiting interaction between groups of workers, disinfecting surfaces, and maintaining high hygiene standards.
- Hospitality businesses can operate under Alert Level 3 for contactless delivery and pick-up (including drive-through) of pre-prepared food and beverages. Customers cannot enter your premises.
- People are still instructed to stay home unless for essential personal movement. Essential personal movement is for activities such as accessing local services and businesses, recreation or work and school.
LEVEL 2
The Restaurant Association guidelines for operating at Level 2 are available here.
For hospitality business the key measures for operating at Level 2 are to follow the 3 S’s – seated, separated and single server.
Restaurants, cafes & bars
- The overall limit on numbers is 100.
- Multiple groups are allowed provided they are in separate ‘defined spaces’ and there is no mingling of people between the different spaces (including in common areas).
- 1 metre physical distancing is required between groups and there must be at least 1 metre between tables.
- Only one server is to serve at any table, to the greatest extent practicable.
- Records must be kept to enable contact tracing for workers and customers.
- Customers must be seated at a table except where using the toilet, entering, paying or departing, or, ordering and collecting food and drinks (at unlicensed premises)
- Ordering and collecting food and drinks at the counter is allowed for nonlicensed premises only, provided that physical distancing of 1 metre is maintained, so far as is reasonably practicable.
- Ordering and collecting food and drinks at the counter is not permitted at bars or other licensed premises.
Takeaways
- Takeaway food can be ordered from the counter of any establishment, irrespective of whether patrons are able to dine-in or not.
- 1 metre physical distancing is required.
- To reduce lines and queuing you could encourage pre-ordering online, over the phone or via an app
Venues generally – Social Gatherings
- If someone hires a hospitality venue for a social gathering, the gatherings rules apply, not the hospitality ones.