Find out more about the changes

Current situation

The COVID-19 Protection Framework (traffic lights) will be removed from 11:59pm on 12 September 2022.

Isolation and testing

• Only people who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate for seven days. 
• Household contacts are recommended to take a RAT test every day for five days. So long as they test negative, they will be able to go about daily life as normal.

Face masks

• Masks will not be required anywhere, except when visiting certain healthcare facilities like hospitals, GPs, pharmacies and aged care residential facilities. 
• Some places like workplaces or marae may ask people to wear a mask. Masks are recommended in confined places such as public transport or when visiting vulnerable people.

Vaccination mandates

• All remaining Government vaccine mandates will now end. The last workforce with a Government vaccine mandate is health and disability workers. This will end on 11:59pm, 26 September 2022. 
• Some employers may still require workers to be vaccinated due to their responsibilities under health and safety legislation.

International travellers

• Vaccination and testing requirements for all travellers arriving into New Zealand will end, including air crew, from 11:59pm, 12 September. 
• People arriving in New Zealand from overseas will continue to receive free RATs at the airport and will be encouraged to test on day 0/1 and 5/6. 

COVID-19 medicines

• Anti-viral medicines will be available for free to any New Zealander 65 and over who tests positive for COVID-19. 
• For Māori and Pacific peoples, these medicines will be available for free to anyone aged 50 and over. In addition, anyone with three high-risk conditions is eligible for free anti-viral medicines. 
• 40,000 additional courses of anti-viral medicines have been purchased by the Government and they are expected to enter New Zealand in the coming weeks. 

COVID-19 material on this website will be updated in coming days.

Read more:

COVID-19 vaccinations are free for everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand aged 5+. It doesn’t matter what your visa or citizenship status is.