New Zealand – Update on measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19

​New Zealand Post asks us to inform other Union member countries and their designated operators that, as a result of a confirmed community outbreak of COVID-19 in Auckland after 102 days without community transmission, the New Zealand Government has moved the Auckland region to national COVID-19 Alert Level 3 from 12.00 local time on Wednesday, 12 August 2020, provisionally until 24.00 on Friday, 14 August 2020. The rest of New Zealand has moved to COVID-19 Alert Level 2 for the same period. A summary of New Zealand's COVID-19 Alert Levels and their restrictions can be found at covid19.govt.nz/assets/resources/tables/COVID-19-alert-levels-summary.pdf.

As New Zealand Post is classified as a business entity providing essential services to the community, it will continue domestic and international inbound/outbound operations as was the case during the previous heightened COVID-19 alert levels in New Zealand between March and June 2020. Various protective measures (social distancing, extra cleaning) are being implemented to ensure the safety of both customers and staff. There are various additional measures in place for the Auckland region, the location of New Zealand Post's inbound/outbound office of exchange.

Throughout New Zealand, contactless delivery and pick up processes apply, with delivery staff capturing the name of the receiving customer, and stepping back from the door to remove the need for any physical contact. Given the current restrictions, New Zealand Post can no longer guarantee service delivery standards (such as delivery times and other quality parameters, transmission of scanning events, quality of service link to terminal dues) applicable to UPU products, notably letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items, and is invoking force majeure in respect of any such standards, including the application of penalty payments (such as pay-for-performance) until further notice. It will continue to monitor the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation and will actively follow the guidance and safety recommendations issued by the New Zealand Government. New Zealand Post thanks all Union member countries and their designated operators for their understanding. It will update them via EmIS once the situation has returned to normal.