1. Pursuant to clause 34 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirements) Order (No 5) 2021 (“Order”), I, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, Director-General of Health, hereby declare that the following persons are exempt from clause 11 (the requirement to wear a face covering) of the Order:

1. persons travelling on a pre-booked public transport service.

2. For the purposes of this notice, pre-booked public transport service means:

1. a public transport service (within the meaning at clause 4 of the Order), except:
1. a small passenger service; or
2. a ferry service carrying passengers between the North Island and the South Island; or
3. air transport; or
4. a school transport service;
2. in which all persons using the service are required, by the service, to supply their contact details (within the meaning of clause 9 of the Order) in order to use the service, and those details are provided prior to boarding;
3. there is a guaranteed seat for all persons using the service for the duration of the journey; and
4. the service does not enter and/or exit an Alert Level 2 area during its journey.

3. For the avoidance of doubt, this notice exempts persons travelling on a pre-booked public transport service from the requirement to wear a face covering.

4. The exemption will begin at 11.59pm on 9 March 2021 and cease at the revocation of the Order (or clause 11 of the Order).

Dated at Wellington this 9th day of March 2021.

Dr ASHLEY BLOOMFIELD, Director-General of Health.