COVID-19 Maritime Industry Update 62 - 21 January 2021 This guideline is for the maritime industry and port supply chain - Maritime NZ
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COVID-19 Maritime Industry Update 62 21 January 2021 This guideline is for the maritime industry and port supply chain COVID-19 Maritime industry update 61 Page 1 of 10
COVID-19 Maritime Industry Update 62 Last updated: 21 January 2021 This document is uncontrolled if printed. Please refer to the Maritime New Zealand website for the latest version. In this guide 1. Border worker survey 3 2. Quarantine-free air travel from the Cook Islands to NZ 4 3. Changes in the Maritime NZ COVID-19 Recovery Team 5 4. Crew change update 6 5. SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern 7 6. Answering your questions 9 7. Key sources of information 10 COVID-19 Maritime industry update 62 Page 2 of 10
1. Border worker survey
The Ministry of Health is conducting a survey looking at experiences with the Required
Testing Order, which will run through to 11:59 pm on 31 January. The information gained
from the survey will be included in a forthcoming full review of the order, so having workers
and employers take the time to share what is working and what you think can be improved
is important in shaping what a revised Order might look like.
The link for PCBUs is here: https://consult.health.govt.nz/covid-directorate/16f384b7/
The link for affected workers is here: https://consult.health.govt.nz/covid-directorate/f2504d26
Please do not share the links any wider than affected workers and their PCBUs, to maintain the integrity
of responses. Thank you to those organisations who have agreed to an extended interview – we
appreciate your support in making improvements to the current testing regime.
The Maritime Industry Update is issued weekly, usually in the second half of the week.
However, publication days might change when there is a need to provide a quick update.
If you have any questions about updates, or suggestions for what you would like included,
please contact Maritime NZ by emailing MNZCovid-19@maritimenz.govt.nz.
COVID-19 Maritime industry update 62 Page 3 of 102. Quarantine-free air travel from the
Cook Islands to NZ
Last week the Government announced the commencement of quarantine-free travel from
the Cook Islands to New Zealand from 21 January, 2021.
This means that people travelling from the Cook Islands to New Zealand are no longer required on
arrival to enter a managed isolation facility for 14 days. This does not change in any way the rules
currently in place for people travelling from New Zealand to the Cook Islands.
The maritime border remains closed to small craft and yachts coming to New Zealand from anywhere in
the Pacific with foreign citizens on them. Small craft and yachts will not be allowed to enter the country
unless they have been granted an exemption from the Ministry of Health in New Zealand.
COVID-19 Maritime industry update 62 Page 4 of 103. Changes in the Maritime NZ COVID-19 Recovery Team From this week, Rere Hammond who has been involved in the Maritime NZ COVID-19 response and recovery since February 2020, has taken on the role of Maritime NZ’s COVID-19 Recovery Manager. She replaces Paul Craven who has been the Recovery Manager since July. Welcome Rere. Paul Craven has been a real asset to the AoG COVID-19 response and has worked tirelessly for the benefit of the maritime industry and New Zealand in an ever changing and uncertain space. We wish him well as he returns back to the RCCNZ and thank Paul for his professionalism and energy. We have new staff joining the Recovery Team this month in the relationship management, legal and maritime specialist space, to replace existing staff who have completed their rotations. We’ll introduce them over the next few weeks. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please continue to send them to MNZCovid-19@maritimenz.govt.nz. COVID-19 Maritime industry update 62 Page 5 of 10
4. Crew change update Maritime NZ is currently working with the Ministry of Health and other border agencies to identify all of the risks involved with crew change and developing mitigations for them. We will be in touch once we have some updated information for you. COVID-19 Maritime industry update 62 Page 6 of 10
5. SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern Infection Prevention and Control advice for staff working at the border and in managed isolation and quarantine facilities. Background Two recent mutations of SARS-CoV-2, variants; B.1.351 from South Africa and B.1.1.7. from the United Kingdom (UK) have been detected in some people at New Zealand managed isolation quarantine facilities. Many of these cases are classified as ‘historical’. Whole genome sequencing carried out by ESR often enables the identification of these variants. About the new variants Preliminary epidemiologic, modelling, phylogenetic and clinical findings suggest that UK variant B.1.1.7 has increased transmissibility, estimates are that it may be 50% more transmissible. Swabs taken from patients with B.1.1.7 also had higher viral loads. However, there is no current evidence to suggest that this variant causes: (i) more severe disease, (ii) longer incubation periods or (iii) increased mortality. Information is also limited as to whether these variants could impact on vaccine effectiveness or that people might be able to be re-infected with the new variants. Like all RNA viruses, SARS-CoV-2 continually mutates, acquiring about one new mutation in its genome every two weeks. The fact that there are nearly 100 million cases of COVID-19 worldwide provides many opportunities for the virus to mutate. Most mutations have no direct benefit to the virus in terms of increasing its infectiousness or mode(s) of transmission. When mutations occur at key parts of the virus like the spike protein, they can change viral transmission and how the immune system recognises the virus. There is no evidence that the (UK) B.1.1.7 variant is able to evade the immune system, but there is an indication that a mutation in the (SA) B.1.351 variant may impact (but not prevent) some antibody binding. There is an extensive global effort to genome sequence the viruses and to better understand how they are changing. Aotearoa New Zealand is in the position of watching how these variants ‘behave’ and responding accordingly. The Ministry of Health remains confident that current IPC protocols are fit-for- purpose to prevent infection with COVID-19, even with the new variants that have been described. A precautionary approach has been adopted and as new evidence emerges guidance will change when needed. COVID-19 Maritime industry update 62 Page 7 of 10
5. SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (continued)
Infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance for
MIQF workers
Q: Are there any additional infection prevention and control measures that need to be taken in light of
these new variants?1
A: No – IPC guidance that we have implemented since this pandemic started in February 2020
remains the same and includes;
• wash/sanitise hands regularly and frequently
• observe physical distancing between yourself and returnees
• frequently clean and disinfect high touch areas and objects.
Q: Are there any other IPC measures, such as additional personal protective equipment (PPE)
required?
A: No – current PPE guidance within the IPC Standard Operating Procedures has taken a precautionary
approach and must continue to be adhered to. Staff should refer to the current version of this document
to ensure that they are familiar with the most recent advice and requirements. While there is some
(limited) evidence that individuals with the B.1.1.7 variant have higher viral loads, this does not alter the
type of PPE or how PPE is used.
Q. What other safety measures has the Ministry implemented?
• On-going MIQF auditing programme to ensure that IPC procedures are adhered to and to
identify and rectify any gaps.
• Increased scheduled and as required testing of returnees during their stay.
• Heightened border measures including (on the 15th January); introduction of pre-departure-
testing of returnees 72 hours prior to leaving countries that are identified as high risk. Pre-
departure testing is soon to be implemented for all countries (other than Australia, some
Pacific nations and Antarctica).
1
https://www.who.int/csr/don/31-december-2020-sars-cov2-variants/en/
COVID-19 Maritime industry update 62 Page 8 of 106. Answering your questions There are a huge number of stakeholders in the maritime industry and ports’ supply chain, and all of you are affected in different ways by COVID-19 and New Zealand’s response to it. If you have questions you would like answered, please email MNZCovid-19@maritimenz.govt.nz by 5pm, Friday each week. COVID-19 Maritime industry update 62 Page 9 of 10
7. Key sources of information
The following links provide you with key sources of information.
For all your questions, and to provide information and make suggestions – email Maritime NZ
MNZCovid-19@maritimenz.govt.nz
Port and maritime guidelines and other information
www.maritimenz.govt.nz – click on the COVID-19 banner on the home page
Official health advice, including PPE guidance – Ministry of Health
www.health.govt.nz/
Up-to-date information across the transport sector (land, sea and air) – Ministry of Transport
www.transport.govt.nz/about/covid-19/
All New Zealand COVID-19 legislation
www.pco.govt.nz/covid-19-legislation/
New Zealand’s campaign to stamp out COVID-19
www.covid19.govt.nz
Information for businesses operating under alert levels
www.business.govt.nz/covid-19/operating-at-alert-levels/
Wage Subsidy Scheme information
www.workandincome.govt.nz/covid-19/resurgence-wage-subsidy/index.html
Managed Isolation and Quarantine
www.miq.govt.nz/
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