The COVID-19 traffic light system will be removed from 11.59pm tonight, Monday 12 September.

You will no longer be required to wear a mask anywhere, except in healthcare settings like hospitals, GPs and aged residential care facilities. 

Some places, such as workplaces, special events, or marae may ask you to wear a mask, but this will be at their discretion and no longer a Government requirement.  

All remaining Government vaccine mandates will end in two weeks on 26 September.

It will now be an employer’s discretion as to whether they require their workforce to be vaccinated. 

Vaccination requirements for all travellers arriving into New Zealand including air crew also ends.

 7 day isolation period for COVID cases will remain. 

 However, the isolation period will now only be required for those who test positive for COVID-19.

Household contacts will only be asked to undertake a daily RAT test before going about their life as normal. 

The Government has purchased an additional purchase of 40,000 anti-viral medicine courses, expected to enter New Zealand in the next few days.  

Anyone over the age of 65, and Māori and Pacific people over the age of 50, or anyone who meets Pharmac requirements, can access the treatment in the early stages of contracting the virus.