Financial support won't be affected by vaccination status - Ardern

October 26, 2021

The Prime Minister says benefits won’t be affected if anyone who gets one chooses not to get a Covid-19 vaccine.

Unvaccinated New Zealanders will continue to have access to the unemployment benefit and other forms of Government support Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Tuesday.

Ardern ruled out any vaccination mandate for people to access Government support, after announcing around 40 per cent of the national workforce would be required to be vaccinated.

"Your ability to seek Government support is not, and will not be affected by your vaccination status," Ardern said.

Mandates have also been ruled out for access to essential services such as supermarkets, pharmacies and healthcare.

"We do not want people who are not vaccinated to be precluded from accessing the basic necessities of life," Ardern said.

"I cannot state more clearly how important it is to be known that your access to Government support will not be affected by vaccination status."

Employees in workplaces that will require a vaccine certificate for customers to enter under the new traffic light Covid system will now need to be vaccinated.

It will include hospitality, hairdressers and gyms, who will join the already-mandated teaching and healthcare sectors.

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