Due to the previous COVID red traffic light setting, all ACC offices are closed to visitors, with reopening scheduled on April 26. However, some of ACC’s smaller sites, such as Hutt Valley, Porirua, Masterton, Greymouth, Alexandra, Whakatane and Whanganui, will remain closed.
ACC’s previous vaccine policy required people to show a valid vaccine pass to be at an ACC site. The new policy is in line with the New Zealand government’s recent changes to its traffic light settings that removed vaccine pass requirements. Te Kawa Mataaho and Worksafe have also released updated guidance.
“We have updated our risk assessment, in consultation with our employees,” ACC said. “This assessment tells us that with our current controls, our people are at no greater risk of getting COVID-19 in the workplace than they are going about their everyday lives within the community.”
ACC said that high population vaccination rates and high levels of immunity, alongside changes in the public health response such as removing vaccine pass requirements, have made the previous policy unnecessary. Other health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in ACC offices, such as masks, physical distancing and good hygiene practices, will remain in place.