Staying safe at Alert Level 3
Keeping your bubble small and making space around you are two important ways to keep yourself and the people in your household protected. They help keep other people safe too. Because the more contact you have with others, the more opportunity the virus has to spread. Make the space
Do I need to maintain distance when picking-up takeaways? Making the space applies wherever you are, and particularly in places where people tend to gather, like the queue for picking up takeaways. While waiting for takeaways or deliveries of any sort, make sure you are staying at least 2 metres apart from others at all times. Can I talk to others while I am standing in a queue? Feel free to chat – we all need to continue to be kind and keep our spirits up – but don’t do so if this means you are getting closer than 2 metres to others. Can I enter the premises to pay or pick something up? When you are collecting goods, including food, make sure this happens in a contactless way, from a separate area. You should not be entering the premises for any reason. This applies to businesses of any sort – such as clothing and electronics retailers – not just takeaways. How do I pay for pick-ups? The best way to pay is to do so online or over the phone, and then have items delivered to your front door. If you have to pick-up goods, keep a 2-metre distance and do so in a contactless way. If you have to pay for goods at the store, use payWave where possible. What if I only have cash? If you have no other option, make sure you’re placing the cash down, and not handing it directly to someone. Wash your hands as soon as possible after using cash. Try not to touch your face as this can spread germs.
If you’re a worker that handles cash, make sure you are regularly washing your hands. At supermarkets, try to use the self-checkout options if you have cash. I’m a business owner. Can I allow people to pay inside my store? If you’re a business, customers cannot come onto your premises.
If you do sell goods you must have an area where people can wait with a 2-metre space between them. The main exceptions to this are supermarkets, petrol stations and dairies (dairies must follow the ‘one-in, one-out’ rule).
Keep your bubble small
Keeping it small means restricting your bubble to your immediate household, and maybe extending it a small amount if you need to – perhaps by one or two people maximum. This could mean reconnecting with close family, bringing in a caregiver, or supporting an isolated person. Are neighbours allowed to merge bubbles? Not for social reasons. Unfortunately, we all need to say ‘no’ to a beer with the neighbour until COVID-19 is under control. You can, however, support someone who is isolated and needs help. Can our flat extend our bubble to another flat? At Alert Level 3 this is not allowed. It would open up the potential for the virus to spread. Remember, the more people in your bubble, the greater the risk. Can I visit my family if they are spread out across more than one other bubble? You can’t join multiple family bubbles together. The way to stay safe is to limit your exposure to other people as much as possible, including family members. As mentioned, you can visit someone who is isolated or needs help. However, you should make sure you’re the only one joining their bubble. Can I extend my bubble to include a person that’s in a different suburb or region? Extending your bubble to someone in another suburb is okay. However, you cannot if they are in another region. How big can our bubbles be to still stay safe? Keeping your bubble exclusive is the best way to keep those in your household protected. This is especially important if anyone in your household is elderly or has a medical condition. Can I leave a bubble if I’m unsafe? If the situation in your bubble is unsafe you can leave your bubble immediately, and seek help. If possible, ask a trusted neighbour or friend for help, then call Police on 111 or Women’s Refuge. Thank you food retail and takeaway staff Alert Level 3 trading will be more difficult than usual. Thank you for your patience, your hard work, and for observing the rules. You are keeping all of us safe.