Notice Type
Departmental
Notice Title

Exemption of England Netball Team From Requirements of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Isolation and Quarantine) Order 2020

Pursuant to clause 15A of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Isolation and Quarantine) Order 2020 (“Order”), I, Hon Chris Hipkins, Minister of Health, having taken into account the advice of the Director-General of Health, hereby declare that the following persons are exempt from clauses 8(2) and 8(3) of the Order:

  • persons who travel to New Zealand to participate in the Taini Jamison Trophy (as listed as a Government-approved event at H5.30.15 of the Immigration Instructions) as part of the England National Netball team, which includes (but is not limited to) players, coaches, team management and other support staff (“Members of the English Netball Team”);
  • who have undergone a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test in England and returned a result that indicates that they are unlikely to transmit COVID-19 (as determined by a medical officer of health (New Zealand));
  • who have undergone a symptom check in England 48 hours prior to departure;
  • who have undergone medical testing and examination and a suitably qualified health practitioner is satisfied that they have met the low-risk indicators, on or around the third day after arrival in New Zealand (“Members of the Wider English Bubble”); and
  • who meet the conditions set out in this notice.

The exemption will begin at 11.59pm on Monday 5 October 2020.

This exemption expires after every person subject to this exemption completes their period of isolation or quarantine, or at 11.59pm on 9 November 2020 (whichever occurs earliest).

For the purposes of this exemption and subject to (f) below, Members of the Wider English Bubble must be separated into two smaller bubbles (“Bubble 1” and “Bubble 2”). Bubble 1 and Bubble 2 are to be made up of no more than 15 people. Persons in Bubble 1 can only intermingle and train with other persons in Bubble 1 and persons in Bubble 2 can only intermingle and train with other persons in Bubble 2.

The exemption from clauses 8(2) and 8(3) is subject to the following conditions:

  1. all Members of the Wider English Bubble must undergo medical examination and testing to assess whether they have COVID-19, and a suitably qualified health practitioner is satisfied that they have met the low-risk indicators, on:
    1. the sixth day after arrival in New Zealand; and
    2. the twelfth day after arrival in New Zealand.
  2. all Members of the Wider English Bubble must only travel between the training facility that has been designated a low-risk managed isolation and quarantine facility (MIQF) for the purposes of the Members of the English Netball Team to undertake training (“training facility”) and their allocated MIQF in which they are residing. This travel must be as direct as reasonably practicable;
  3. the travel between the training facility and the MIQF in which they are residing must be undertaken in vehicles that have been designated by the Crown for this purpose;
  4. members of Bubble 1 must not be closer than 2 metres from any member of Bubble 2 (and vice versa) while undertaking travel between the training facility and their allocated MIQF in which they are residing;
  5. Bubble 1 and Bubble 2 members must maintain physical distancing from any persons who are not in their allocated bubble;
  6. if all Members of the Wider English Bubble meet the low-risk indicators following medical examination and testing on the sixth day after arrival, Bubble 1 and Bubble 2 members will no longer be required to maintain physical distancing with each other, and may intermingle and train together;
  7. all Members of the Wider English Bubble must not have any in-person contact with any other person who is not in their bubble, except to the extent required to undertake the travel to and from the training facility and the MIQF in which they are residing and except as contemplated by the Order (for example, contact may be required with the driver of the designated vehicle and any site manager);
  8. all Members of the Wider English Bubble must wear face coverings while traveling in the designated vehicles to and from the training facility and their allocated MIQF in which they are residing;
  9. all Members of the Wider English Bubble must maintain physical distancing (to the greatest extent practicable) from all other residents (i.e. those persons not subject to this exemption) at the MIQF at which they are residing and any other location and in accordance with this notice;
  10. all Members of the Wider English Bubble may only access the areas of the MIQF in which they reside and the training facility as advised by the site manager.

If any person subject to this exemption does not meet or comply with a condition of this exemption, or breaches a condition of this exemption, or required to stay in a high-risk MIQF, the exemption from clauses 8(2) and 8(3) of the Order will cease to apply upon the giving of notice by the Director-General of Health to England Netball in respect to the persons named in that notice.

If any person subject to this exemption breaches the Order, the exemption from clauses 8(2) and 8(3) will cease to apply upon the giving of notice by the Director-General of Health to England Netball in respect to the person’s named in that notice.

Subject to the terms of this exemption, all other provisions of the Order continue to apply until the exemption expires.

Dated at Wellington this 3rd day of October 2020.

Hon CHRIS HIPKINS, Minister of Health.