Vaccine rules get pass mark from businesses

Quick, easy and the best for public safety: Wellington businesses and their customers were mostly happy on the first day of the new Covid-19 vaccine passport system.

Under the rules of the new orange ‘‘traffic light’’ level, retail and hospitality businesses now require customers to show a My Vaccine Pass to prove they are double vaccinated.

Staff at several hospitality businesses told The Dominion Post the new system had gone smoothly.

At Qilin Tea House on Dixon St, a staff member at the counter was visually checking each customer’s vaccination pass.

‘‘For now we are visually checking the pass, but we’ll talk about scanning them in the future,’’ acting manager Hendy Kho said.

Leighton Archer, a customer at the tea house, said the experience of showing his pass was quick.

‘‘It’s reassuring to know you’re in a space with other people that are vaccinated.

‘‘If I have the choice, I will always pick the places that are doing the pass over the ones that aren’t.’’

Dixon St Deli was among businesses that had started scanning vaccine certificates using the NZ Pass Verifier app. Customers seemed happy to show their passes. ‘‘Scanning is more simple than I thought it would be. It’s easy,’’ staff member Nayada Chait said.

Customer Paul Stigley was asked to produce his vaccine pass for the first time when visiting Prefab eatery yesterday.

‘‘If you’re a reasonable person, there shouldn’t be any problem,’’ he said.

However, not all shops in the city had adopted the system yet.

Dwights Outdoors shop assistant Patrick Runciman said the passes were not needed in the store.

‘‘We’re not a close-contact environment. We don’t see it being an issue, although we’re still monitoring scanning and mask-wearing.’’

Popular Masterton cafe Food For Thought switched into the new system without missing a beat. Manager Renae Turley said it was one of their busiest Fridays yet, and only a couple of customers had been unable to produce a vaccine pass.

‘‘The ones we have had to turn away are the ones who have had one vaccination. Other than that it has been really good. People are really understanding.’’

The cafe had a staff member inside the door checking passes as customers entered.

Vaccination passes are not required at supermarkets, pharmacies, health and disability services, foodbanks and petrol stations.