Social distancing is still required and you can only run a business if you do not have direct contact with clients. This means that sex workers will not be able to recommence contact sex work until later. NZPC will keep you up to date with the Alert levels and let you know when you can start doing contact sex work with clients once again.
Other points (from https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-system/alert-level-3/)
Personal movement
Limiting our interactions with others is our best defence against COVID-19. Under Alert Level 3 we must continue to stay in our household bubbles whenever we are not at work, school, buying the groceries or exercising.
People must stay within their household bubble but can expand this to reconnect with close family/whānau, or bring in caregivers, or support isolated people. It’s important to protect your bubble if you extend it. Keep your bubble exclusive and only include people where it will keep you and them safe and well. If anyone within your bubble feels unwell, they should self-isolate from everyone else within your bubble.
Examples of expanding your bubble
- If a relative or loved one lives locally and is currently alone, you can extend your bubble to include them.
- If you are returning to work and need to make childcare or other care arrangements for those already in your bubble, a care provider can join your bubble.
Leaving your house at Alert Level 3
Just like Alert Level 4, people should stay at home as much as possible except for exercise, going to work or school, or visiting local services like the doctor, pharmacy or supermarket.
If you’re over 70 or are at higher risk of severe illness should you contract COVID-19, you need to be especially careful.
If you do leave the house:
- keep a 2 metre distance from other people at all times
- stay local if you go out for exercise
- only exercise alone or with the people in your extended bubble
- if you're exercising outside and it's too busy to keep a 2 metre distance from others, go home — go out later
- help our emergency services by only doing activities that you can do safely
- you can do activities that are local, that you are experienced in and which do not involve interacting with other people or equipment touched by other people,
- don’t go out on the water — boating, jet-skiing and scuba diving is not allowed
- don’t do any team sports or training
- don’t touch surfaces others may have touched — avoid park benches or playgrounds
- don’t travel far from home, especially not to baches or second homes
- only shop for essential supplies
- wash your hands regularly.
Travelling around New Zealand
If you were in the wrong place when the restrictions came into place, and need to get home, you can now move throughout New Zealand to do so. There are some restrictions if you do travel. You can only move once, and in 1 direction.
New Zealand citizens living in the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau can travel domestically within New Zealand to connect to international flights to these islands.
Businesses and employees
There is guidance for businesses and employees under Alert Level 3. Find more information about:
Examples of businesses and employees under Alert Level 3
- If you run a takeaway business, you can reopen it if you have pre-ordered contactless pick up or can provide home delivery.
- A real estate agent can open, but people should work from home if they can. The agent can enter people’s homes, but not have customers in the office. You cannot run an open home.
- Construction businesses can start work again but strict hygiene measures must be put in place — and office staff who can work from home should do so.
FAQs for businesses and employees
Why can’t people queue or browse in a retail shop?
This is about managing the risk of transmission. Retail shops can be difficult to control in terms of physical distancing and keeping surfaces clean. Exceptions have been made for businesses like supermarkets, but right now the risk of transmission is too high to allow this more widely. Measures like drive-through or home delivery better manage this risk, but unfortunately, not everyone will be able to do this.
When will businesses that involve close personal contact be allowed to open?
Right now, the risk of transmission from people providing services that require close personal contact, for example, hairdressers, manicurists, beauticians, domestic cleaners, personal trainers, gymnasiums, is too great. These businesses can resume under Alert Level 2, with appropriate health measures in place.
How do I find out about my rights as a worker, will wage subsidies continue?
Employment New Zealand has advice, including on health and safety, financial support and speaking up.
Employment New Zealand advice on COVID-19 and the workplace
These restrictions still mean that you will not be able to do contact sex work with clients.
- NZPC
A FURTHER NOTE FROM THE GOVERNMENT WEBSITE:
Compliance
The government, police and regulators such as WorkSafe will work with businesses and communities to make sure Level 3 requirements and guidance are followed. We need all New Zealanders to work together to make Alert Level 3 a success.