Some Northland businesses are refusing to stop serving unvaccinated customers, instead adapting the new traffic light framework to cater to everyone.
A sign allowing unvaccinated people at a Whangārei business. Photo: RNZ / Nita Blake-Persen
The region is the least vaccinated in the country and at 86 percent partially vaccinated, is still 6500 doses off the 90 percent mark for the eligible population receiving one dose.
Those unvaccinated Northlanders face new restrictions from Friday, with the region in the red setting.
But some businesses say they do not feel comfortable separating vaccinated from the unvaccinated, and around half a dozen cafes in central Whangārei are switching to takeout only so they can serve everyone.
Hello Pickle owner Kara Hosznyak said they checked vaccine passes briefly when they opened on Friday morning but quickly changed their minds.
Whangārei business Hello Pickle decides to allow takeaway orders without vaccine passes. Photo: Instagram
"We'd come across a few of our regulars and passport-passed them and then we received a couple of private messages from people, I guess a bit disappointed.
"We just sort of realised we'd made a mistake, that the general consensus is people feel a bit ostracised and separated by this move and we just wanted to rectify it as soon as possible."
They briefly closed and rearranged the cafe to allow takeaways through the cafe's window.
Customers were lined up at lunchtime, the set-up very similar to the old alert level 3. Hoznak said the response had been positive.
Bocky Boo Gelato and Benny's Sandwich Deli are also serving unvaccinated customers. The owner of both businesses, Chris De'Ath, said they could do so safely.
"It still allows everyone to come in but we're going with the government guidelines on contactless takeaways and you can come on through the store - like a walk-through, and then they can collect. We've got all the social distancing measures in place to keep everyone safe."
A sign allowing unvaccinated people at a Whangārei business. Photo: RNZ / Nita Blake-Persen
NorthChamber chief executive Stephen Smith said he had come across several businesses which were not operating with vaccine passes - including trades suppliers.
"The demands on their service, on their time and their people are quite different - you know they've got a lot of tradespeople calling in there.
"There do seem to be perhaps a slightly higher percentage of tradespeople that are not vaccinated so it's obviously very difficult for them to operate a full vaccine pass."
Despite the high number of Northlanders who remain unvaccinated, Smith said he was thankful businesses were being flexible about the new rules.
"I'm heartened that a number of businesses are thinking along the lines of doing everything they can to make sure the unvaccinated are not prejudiced against."
Whangārei mayor Sheryl Mai said people were still getting used to the changes, which were nuanced.
For example, the central library required a vaccine pass because it had a cafe inside it, but all of the branch libraries were open to everyone.
Mai said a lot of people are on edge and she is concerned about some behaviour.
"There are some people that this is affecting badly and I feel for them. We need to be really supportive of people's decisions, whatever they are. And the aggression from one side to the other really must stop."
But today's red light shift has been the nudge some people needed to get their vaccine pass.
Ryan David and his partner Jasmine were at an Onerahi pop-up clinic where Jasmine was today getting her second shot.
She said she'd got the vaccine despite being terrified of needles as she "had to get it done".
"Our family means everything to us."
Ryan said it wasn't an easy decision to get the vaccine but he had received his second dose earlier in the week - and it was his kids that helped get him across the line.
"My kids, my family, and I work out there on the roads as well, so for the community as well."
