Overview
New Zealand went into Alert Level 4 (Lockdown), then Alert Level 3 to attack the disease early, fast, and hard with the objective of eliminating it from New Zealand.
New Zealand has now moved to Alert Level 2. However, Alert Level 2 means that there are still significant restrictions on our day-to-day lives at work as per Ministry of Health Guidelines. Hygiene measures, including physical distancing still apply. This is because the risk of undetected Covid19 spread is not gone. Workplaces still have to address the ongoing high risk of transmission of Covid19.
Our People Staying safe and well
We have safe hygiene practices in place to:
- Regularly disinfect and clean surfaces that are regularly touched/handled.
- Wash and dry hands thoroughly and regularly.
- Not touch faces.
- Stay home if workers are sick.
- Manage parishioners with COVID-19 flu like symptoms.
Contact Tracing
It is important to be able to carry out effective contact tracing in the event of a reported COVID-19 infection. We will:
- Parishioners / worshippers must either:
- Scan the QR code with the COVID19 App on their smartphone; or
- Bring their contact details on a piece of paper and leave in a basket in foyer of church; or
- Complete the contact tracing register in the foyer of the church by providing name, date, phone and email or physical address, if they don’t have an email.
- Staff/Priests/Lay Pastoral Leaders must confirm with their visitor that they have signed in and provided their details.
- Staff/Priests/Lay Pastoral leaders keep a record of where they have been, when and who with.
Safe Work & WORSHIP Practices
Our workplace and places of worship must be able to operate safely. To reduce the risk to our people and visitors we will:
- Identify and manage any high-risk staff/parishioners/visitors (e.g. elderly or immune-compromised, respiratory issues).
- Promote online Mass resources to those unable to attend a Mass
- Continue to worship remotely where possible.
- Limit (or eliminate) if possible, physical interaction with and between visitors/parishioners.
- Keep a minimum of one metre between visitors/parishioners (2 metres if you do not know the person)
- Keep a minimum of one metre between staff (e.g. in vehicles and workplaces).
- When working from home or in alternate workplaces we will:
- Review the equipment and the ergonomic set-up of work areas.
- Maintain regular contact with employees.
- To ensure good hygiene practices in the workplace and our churches we will:
- Wash hands regularly.
- Sneeze/cough into our elbow.
- Ensure everyone has access to hand sanitiser, soap and water.
- Regularly disinfect/clean high use areas (e.g. pews, door handles, and bathrooms).
- Make sure volunteers and staff have the right PPE and know how to use it effectively. e.g.:
- Gloves where they are touching surfaces or items touched by others (refer to Glove Use Information Leaflet).
- Masks (not recommended unless you are working with high-risk people) Refer to https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks
- Look after the mental health of our office staff:
- Employees might be worried about their future employment, personal finances, their ability to work from home (family pressures, internet use), using new technology and ways of working (e.g. online meetings) etc.
- We will make sure we keep in regular contact and have honest conversations with them.
- Follow normal work practices to manage other hazards/risks as appropriate/required.
Emergency Procedures
- If parishioners / visitors are sick they will:
- Stay at home
- Worship in their own homes
- If our parish office staff are sick they will:
- Notify their manager.
- Stay at home.
- If staff/parishioners/visitors have flu like symptoms they will be required to:
- Go into self-isolation.
- Call a GP or the Healthline – 0800 358 5453
- Get tested for COVID-19 (if required)
- For other emergencies, our normal emergency procedures will be followed.