Following the country's move to the Red traffic light setting, Tasman District Council has announced a Covid-19 vaccination mandate for its staff.
The mandate will be enforced on March 25, with evidence of a first vaccination required no later than March 4.
Chief executive Janine Dowding says the council’s covid vaccination policy, which was finalised in December 2021, had signalled that a move to red envisaged a requirement for all council roles to be fully vaccinated.
“As a council, we have an obligation to provide a work environment that limits risks to health and safety, so far as is reasonably practicable."
Janine says the emergence of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant of Covid-19 in our region has elevated the risk to staff and the community.
From February 1, staff who are not vaccinated will need to work from home.
“These decisions have not been taken lightly. While community transmission of Omicron is very difficult to prevent we know that slowing transmission down will mean that the demands on the health system and the disruption of workforce absences can be better managed.”
While exact numbers could not be determined at this stage, Janine was confident that a large majority of staff were already fully vaccinated.
Janine says staff who were not prepared to be vaccinated would still be given support and the opportunity to discuss their options.
She says overall service levels are expected to be largely unaffected by the vaccination requirement.
The announcement was made as council clarified its service levels and access to facilities under the Red status.
These are as follows:
Council offices
Customer service offices in Richmond, Motueka and Tākaka are open with no My Vaccine Pass (MVP) needed for entry.
Members of the community are encouraged to make contact with Council via phone or online channels, or make an appointment if face to face interaction is preferred.
Libraries
Visitors to Tasman District Libraries require a Vaccine Pass for entry. This includes all areas of the combined Council office/library facility in Murchison. Library staff are able to provide alternative services for unvaccinated members.
Community facilities
Council community and recreation centres are predominantly open for entry without MVP but with the following restrictions in place (NB: Where a MVP is required, this only applies to those aged 12 years 3 months and over):
Motueka Recreation Centre –Entry now requires a MVP to access all areas of the facility.
Motuere Community Centre, Golden Bay Recreation Centre and Murchison Community Centre - Groups will be limited to 50 people in each room to maintain 1 metre distancing with masks needed except when exercising.
Entry into the gym at the Moutere Community Centre will be through the external door only and requires a MVP.
The Richmond Aquatic Centre, as a multi-use facility with a café, will require a MVP for entry.
Playgrounds, parks, reserves and cemeteries are open, but distancing and mask wearing protocols remain in place.
Community Halls
The hirer of the facility is responsible for the management of restrictions.
Campgrounds (Council owned or managed)
Pōhara, Motueka Top 10 and Murchison campgrounds will require a MVP to enter and stay.
Collingwood, Kina and McKee Domain will not require a MVP and will be open with distancing and mask wearing protocols in place.
