The three-tier traffic light system used vaccination and community transmission rates to determine the level of restrictions needed.
[2] On 12 September 2022, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the traffic light system would be dropped at 11:59 pm that night.
[5] After 3 December 2021, while in Red, non-essential businesses are required to use vaccine passes for a condition of entry, and must verify a reasonable amount of them.
[11] The Government's abandonment of the COVID-19 elimination strategy was criticised by immunologist and health adviser Siouxsie Wiles, who argued that this policy shift would put the unvaccinated and vulnerable at risk.
Regions moving into "orange" include Taupō, Rotorua, Kawerau, Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki, Gisborne, Wairoa, Rangitikei, Whanganui and Ruapehu.
In the event of Omicron community outbreaks, affected areas would move into the red traffic light setting.
[24] On 17 January 2022, Prime Minister Ardern announced that New Zealand would move to a red traffic light setting if Omicron was spreading in the community.
[25] On 20 January 2022, Ardern announced that Northland would move to the orange traffic light setting at 11:59 pm that night due to a surge of vaccination rates in the region.
[26][27] On 23 January 2022, the Government moved New Zealand into the red traffic light setting in response to recent community transmissions of the Omicron variant in the Nelson–Marlborough Region.
Under all three "traffic light" settings, COVID-19 positive individuals and close household contacts would be required to isolate for seven days.
Baker's remarks accompanied reports that the Government was considering abandoning the "traffic light system" when it reviewed New Zealand's COVID-19 settings that month.
As a result, most COVID-19 rules and restrictions would be eliminated: On 12 September, national carrier Air New Zealand announced that it would be dropping its facemask requirement from 11:59pm in response to the Government's decision to end the "traffic light system.
"[38] While Disabled Persons Assembly CEO Walker expressed concerns that the scrapping of mask mandates would discouraged disabled and vulnerable people from going out due to the fear of catching COVID-19, Business South chief executive Mike Collins opined that the ending of COVID-19 regulations showed that the virus could be managed in the community and that it would benefit the retail and tourism sectors.
[39] Immunologist Wiles described the Government's decision to drop the "traffic light system" as a "big, long term expensive, mistake."