May 2022 Event Update regarding COVID-19 and Traffic Lights

2 May 2022

The NZCAF Executive has been closely following the changes to event and gathering restrictions in New Zealand. 

As always, our aim is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our members and their supporters.

At a meeting on 27th of April, the NZCAF Executive met to discuss if and how NZCAF events can go ahead in 2022. The Executive has made the following decisions based on all information available at that time. 

If you have any questions, please email the NZCAF Secretary; secretary@nzcaf.com

NZCAF Events Under The NZ COVID-19 Protection Framework (Traffic Lights): 

The NZCAF Executive has reviewed the latest guidance provided by the New Zealand Government, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Health.

Based on this review, the NZCAF Executive has updated our decisions regarding NZCAF Events in relation to the COVID-19 Protection Framework Traffic Light settings

As at the 1st of May 2022, New Zealand is at Orange on the NZ COVID-19 Protection Framework. 

This means:

  • NZCAF Events can proceed as normal.
  • Vaccine passes are NOT mandatory. 
  • Additional safety precautions will be in place.

We will continue to monitor and assess any changes that occur regarding events under the COVID-19 Protection Framework Traffic Light settings.

Please refer to this page for the latest information.

Please bear in mind that changes to traffic light settings and restrictions may happen after our decision dates and this may impact our decisions. For example: If NZ moves from Orange to Red, events may need to be cancelled (rather than moved online. Should traffic light changes occur following any decisions, the Executive will advise their decision within one week of any traffic light changes.

February 2022 Event Update regarding COVID-19 and Traffic Lights

11 February 2022

The NZCAF Executive, who manages the NZ Schools Hip Hop Competition, is closely following the event and gathering restrictions in New Zealand. As always, our aim is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our members and their supporters.

The situation is always evolving, and we will continue to assess how those changes may impact our events.

At a meeting on 2nd of February, the NZCAF Executive met to discuss if and how events can go ahead in 2022. The Executive has made the following decisions based on all information available in February 2022. 

Any further decisions regarding events will be made and distributed to our members the week beginning 2nd of May, 2022.

If you have any questions, please email the NZCAF Secretary; secretary@nzcaf.com

NZCAF Events Under The NZ COVID-19 Protection Framework (Traffic Lights): 

The NZCAF Executive has reviewed the current guidance provided by the New Zealand Government, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Health.

Based on this review, the NZCAF Executive has determined that; 

  • At Red, Competition events are unable to take place.
  • At Orange or Green, Competition events are able to take place with extra safety precautions in place.

As at the 11th of February 2022, New Zealand is at Red on the NZ COVID-19 Protection Framework. 

While this means events could not currently proceed, NZCAF has booked venues and dates for our 2022 Competition events in the hope that New Zealand will be at Orange or Green by the time competition season begins.

If we are unable to proceed with physical events, we may move our Regional Events to being online events, similar to how the 2021 NZCAF Aerobics Nationals was held.

The NZCAF Executive will be meeting in the first week of May, and a further announcement will be given with our May update.

The Executive has made the following decisions regarding Competition Events in relation to the COVID-19 Protection Framework Traffic Light settings.

RedOrangeGreen
Competition Events will not take place.
Regional events may be held online, with filming locations managed by NZCAF, followed by online judging and streaming.		Competition Events will proceed as normal.
Vaccine passes are mandatory for all attendees and safety precautions in place. 		Competition Events will proceed as normal.
Vaccine passes are mandatory for all attendees (with ages to be determined by our venues).

Traffic Light Changes Prior to Competitions Taking Place 

We would like to signal now that if changes to traffic lights happen after our decision dates, we will not be changing the events already decided.

For example: 

  • If we have decided to move our events to being online, and NZ moves from Red to Green; we will continue with online events.
  • If we have decided to continue with in person events, and NZ moves from Orange to Red, the events will likely be cancelled (rather than changed to online last minute). 

Vaccine Passes at Competition Events

The NZCAF Executive has reviewed the current guidance provided by the New Zealand Government, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Health.

Based on this review the NZCAF Committee has made the decision that Vaccine Passes will be required for all competitions in 2022.

At present (February 2022) this means that all competitors, all volunteers and coaches, and all spectators over the age of 12 years and 3 months will need to produce valid vaccine passes to attend our events. 

This decision was made when considering the following;

  • Competition Events must comply with any Health and Safety requirements stipulated by our venues. All of our venues in 2022 have Vaccine Pass requirements in place, and these are likely to continue for the remainder of 2022.
  • Events without vaccine pass requirements impose strict limits on capacity and spacing which is not feasible for our events. 
  • The physical nature of our competition, the close proximity environments backstage, and that our events are indoors.

We will be unable to make provisions for unvaccinated individuals to attend events. This is inline with the decisions made by other sporting bodies.

We are aware that current Vaccine Passes expire in May, and the guidelines may change. However, with the current guidelines all competitors, volunteers, coaches, and spectators will be required to present a valid Vaccine Pass.

The NZCAF Executive will be meeting in the first week of May, any changes to this policy will be  given with our May update.

Hybrid Events

It is not fair or feasible to host a hybrid event series (where both online and in person events take place). 

Competing and Training Under the NZ COVID-19 Protection Framework

We appreciate that each school, club, training venue and parent may have differing interpretations of the guidelines available.

We are aware that not all schools and clubs are operating with the same restrictions.

We strongly encourage all competitors, parents, coaches and school management to discuss how  the NZ COVID-19 Protection framework affects their competitors’ abilities to train, and compete at in person events.

Our Decisions and Guidelines

NZCAF and the NZ Schools Hip Hop Competition series is independent. We are separate from bodies like DanceNZ, Sports NZ and NZ Secondary Schools Sport, and not governed by their policies. 

It is likely that these bodies will release decisions and guidance for their events as the year progresses.

While we will often mirror the decisions and direction those bodies take, the NZCAF Executive is responsible for all decisions which ensure the safety of its members and viability of its events.

Please ensure you check the NZCAF Website for the latest decisions and guidance relating to Competition events. If you have any questions, please check with your coach or teacher in charge.