Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Cabinet had agreed to the use of vaccine certificates as a way to give more certainty for high-risk events and venues.
“It’s one of the best ways we can ensure summer plans can go ahead uninterrupted,” she said.
She said how widely the passes will be applied is yet to be determined, and that would form the basis of a new framework once the country has higher vaccination rates.
Ardern said the certificates will be used for large-scale events, and the government is consulting on their use in hospitality.
They won’t be used for essential services such as healthcare or supermarket visits.
The certificates will be able to be printed as a physical document or they will be able to be carried digitally on a phone.
A framework over the use of the certificates will be released ahead of them coming into effect.
The prime minister said anyone who hopes to attend large-scale events over summer should be getting the vaccine now.
“If you are booked for a summer festival … this a warning or a heads-up, go and get vaccinated,” she said.
