COVID-19
Page updated: 14 February 2021
In response to Covid-19, on Monday 23 March 2020, the Prime Minister issued an Epidemic Notice under section 5 of the Epidemic Preparedness Act 2006, enabling the use of a number of ‘special powers’ in legislation.
The Notice has since been renewed several times and will remain in force until the government is satisfied the global threat of COVID-19 to New Zealand has passed.
The full impacts of COVID-19 will not be known for some time. However, the NZSAR Secretariat undertook a preliminary assessment of likely impacts, particularly in light of the need to run search and rescue operations during lock-downs. It also explored possible impacts immediately post lock-down and in the medium and longer term.
The sections below will be updated over time, as more evidence of the impact of COVID-19 and the associated restrictions on movement, become clearer