From Monday it will be compulsory for everyone aged 12 and over to wear a face covering on public transport and planes under Alert Level 2 and above, with certain exemptions for health, disability and practicality reasons.
Auckland will move to Alert Level 2 with some restrictions from 11.59pm Sunday after ramping up to Level 3 on August 12 after a community outbreak.
Wearing a face covering on public transport is the right thing do and will help keep New Zealanders safe from Covid-19, Health Minister Chris Hipkins says
“New Zealand has had real success in taking collective action to contain and stamp out Covid-19 because we’ve worked as a team,” Hipkins said.
“I know this is big change and will take some getting used to but it is a small thing we can all do that helps us get back to the freedoms of Level 1.
“The advice from health officials is clear – the use of face coverings can reduce the risk of people spreading Covid-19, particularly where it is hard to maintain physical distance from others.”
Masks and face coverings do not replace physical distancing. He said they complement other public health measures.
“We want to make this as easy as possible, so any form of face covering will do. If you don’t have a mask you can use a scarf or bandana,” Hipkins said.
“We encourage everyone to get three or four washable masks each and are also investigating the potential distribution of reusable masks to those most in need.
“We know that some people won’t be able to wear masks for personal and medical reasons. Please be supportive of people as they get to grips with this new policy.
“Today I can also confirm that we will release a further three million masks for national distribution over the coming days as a one-off boost to immediate supply. This will be distributed among iwi, social services groups and community foodbanks in centres and regions where there is public transport.
“It will take time for people to adapt. Not everyone will have a face covering ready for the Monday morning commute but pretty quickly we will see face coverings become commonplace on public transport.”
