Churches are among the places new Covid sign-in regulations will apply to.
The Government, Sunday, announced mandatory record-keeping is being introduced for busy places and events to ensure the Government can contact trace quickly.
Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins says the new rules mean those responsible for businesses and events will need to ensure people keep a record when they visit, either by scanning QR codes with the Covid-19 Tracer App or making a manual record.
There will be a fine for businesses and other organisations – like churches – for failing to keep contact tracing records.
At present, the fines vary from $300 to $1000, although Hipkins says the government is reviewing the penalties.
Using the Covid sign-in app is about accuracy, speed and efficiency, Hipkins explains.
“Speed means a lot.
“It is clear that when people use the app or manually sign in, rather than relying on memory, contact tracing can happen much more quickly.
“Covid-19 can be extremely difficult to trace and contain without people keeping a good record of where they have been and who they have come into contact with.”
Parish priest at St Mary of the Angels, Wellington’s central Catholic church, says the ‘common good’ demands churches get involved.
“St Mary’s relies on volunteers, and in the interest of the common good, we will do what we can to comply with government requirements,” said Fr Kevin Mowbray SM.
A little further up the country, Palmerston North Cathedral priest, Dr Joseph Grayland told CathNews that the speed of the Delta variant outbreak is dramatic and the Cathedral parish will do all it can to aid in contact tracing.
Grayland said that in his experience he finds most people already use the current sign-in system.
‘I have not seen anybody refuse to sign in when they’ve been asked, but I have no way of actually knowing whether everybody has signed in or just waved their phone at the QR code,” Grayland says.
Grayland admits his parish volunteer greeters are currently not yet equipped to deal with someone who refuses to sign in and there is little doubt there will be new skills to learn and procedures to follow.
The parish already applies with its obligations under the current Health and Safety law.
Similar comments are made by businesses.
NewsTalk ZB, Monday, reports the hospitality industry has concerns around enforcement and follow up.
“It’s going to be essentially a cost to the business by then refusing entry if someone comes in. (sic)
“And then you’ve got the added stress on the workforce,” says Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Julie White.
The Government’s move comes after several Auckland Churches have been places where people have come into contact with the Delta variant.
As the pastor of a church linked to last week’s Delta variant outbreak says, people come from all over Auckland to attend its Sunday services.
Parishioners from two Catholic churches in Auckland are in a like situation.
The positive case and their family members attended services at Saint Therese Catholic Church in Māngere East on August 15 while infectious.
Following the outbreak, Parish Priest Anthony Tran sent an email to parishioners “strongly encouraging” them to get tested.
Parishioners of Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church in Māngere Bridge are also considered contacts of the case.
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