COVID-19: We are in this together

Around the country, from Cape Reinga to Bluff, our disaster response volunteers are prepared to respond to needs in their community. During the COVID-19 response, our teams can support the delivery of essential services, assist government agencies and meet specific needs of their local communities. 

Our team of volunteers and staff provide face-to-face support to new Kiwis during Alert Level 1 and 2. Strict hygiene and safety protocols for transporting clients, in person counselling and home visit assessments will continue. 

Our Pathways to Settlement work is considered an essential service, allowed to run during all alert levels. To keep people safe, at Level 3 and 4 former refugees who we are working with continue to be support virtually, except in cases of urgent need. In these cases, we’re providing some restricted face-to-face support with care and caution.  

Messages from the Ministry of Health have been translated, with the support of refugee-background communities, into 15 languages: Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Farsi, Kayah, Kinyarwanda, Nepali, Pashto, Rohingya, Somali, Spanish, Tamil, Tigrinya, Urdu and Zolai. They are available here.  

We also know that global travel restrictions have significantly altered resettlement around the world. On 17 March 2020, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the IOM took steps to temporarily suspend refugee resettlement departures. The agencies noted that this is a temporary measure that will be in place only for as long as it remains essential. As the situation evolves, we’ll be working closely with MBIE to understand how these changes might affect new Kiwis.   

At Levels 1 and 2, Meals on Wheels operates with strict protocols around physical distancing and all appropriate hygiene practices. Meals on Wheels is an essential service, so during Levels 3 and 4 the meals will keep coming. All volunteers will follow Ministry of Health guidelines on hand-washing, not touching their face before washing their hands and physical distancing.

Volunteers will make sure the person they are dropping the meal off to knows it has arrived and they will leave it at their doorstep. 

Volunteers who are in high-risk categories will step down under Levels 3 and 4, supporting us from the safety of their home.  

In areas where we run Community Transport services, this service continues to be available in Levels 1 and 2. Under Levels 3 and 4, Community Transport does not run, and we will assist the people we help to identify alternate modes of transport.  

Working with Te Tari Taiwhenua, Department of Internal Affairs, who is managing the New Zealand Government’s Foreign Nationals Impacted by COVID-19 Programme (known by New Zealand Red Cross as ‘Visitor Care Manaaki Manuhiri’), we are delivering in-kind assistance to help foreign nationals meet basic needs, such as food and accommodation. Find out more about Visitor Care Manaaki Manuhiri.

All our Red Cross Shops can open under Levels 1 and 2, while ensuring continued diligence in maintaining all precautions necessary. Contact-tracing QR codes and hand sanitiser are available in all our stores, and we will keep up regular surface sanitation. 

At Levels 3 and 4, our shops are closed but we are open online. Is the Red Cross Shop in your area closed? Visit us online at our official TradeMe accounts. 

Under Levels 1 and 2, we can provide face-to-face classroom training. We will be minimising class sizes to enable social distancing, stop rescue breathing and keep a record of all attendees - as per normal - for contact tracing. Hand sanitiser will be available in every classroom.  

It is important to note that at Alert Level 2, the limits on gatherings to 10 people are not applicable to our classes as we are a tertiary training provider. 

You can read more about how we are adapting our training to different Levels here.

New Zealand Red Cross has widespread capacity to continue our vital work flexibly and remotely, and we are regularly assessing the environment to provide guidance to our staff. 

Under Alert Levels 1 and 2, New Zealand Red Cross staff work under the principle of informed choice, meaning our people are always able to work from home or the office – being sure to follow hygiene and physical distancing protocols.   

Our essential service workers continue their work under Levels 3 and 4, while all other staff work remotely.