An Online Directory Of Businesses That Are Taking Covid-19 Seriously

StayCovidSafe.nz is a new online directory of businesses that are doing everything they can to keep people healthy during omicron. StayCovidSafe.nz is the most comprehensive and up to date list of "Businesses You Can Trust" during the pandemic. These businesses are committed to being prepared and taking actions to keep their staff, customers and communities safe.

There are filters to find businesses by type, location, whether they have air purification, still require vaccine passes, have outdoor dining, and much more. Whatever your risk tolerance, you can find the kind of cafe, restaurant or optometrist that suits you.

“Since vaccine passes became optional I’ve been really impressed to see some bars announce that they were going to keep using them” says founder, Rimu Atkinson. “Unvaccinated people are more likely to spread omicron so avoiding them is my top priority”, he continues.

Since announcing their policy, Woof! in Dunedin has had their “biggest week of 2022“. It seems many people want to stay healthy while having a good time and providing that is good business.

New Zealand’s world-leading pandemic response has meant that for most of the last two years the government was leading the public on how to stay safe and healthy. There was also little need for civil society to advocate for solutions as the government was already doing so many of the right things. With the removal of vaccine mandates and the movement towards “living with covid” that responsibility is being pushed back onto businesses and individuals. StayCovidSafe.nz can play a vital role in giving people the information they need to make informed decisions about ways to live with covid while taking on only as much risk as they want to. At the same time businesses that choose to invest in mitigation measures and are brave enough to put health first can be rewarded by being connected to customers who share their values and priorities.

Relaxing Covid mitigation measures are likely to lead to a second omicron wave that punishes roughshod businesses with increased sickness, ongoing hiring difficulties and fearful customers. “My hope is that with time, the people and businesses who understand that putting their health before profit and short-term convenience are rewarded with more profit and less inconvenience in the long run. StayCovidSafe.nz can play a part in making that happen by helping consumers support the businesses that have their interests at heart”.

The free directory is very new and relies on crowd-sourcing for it’s listings. “Since launching two days ago there have been 40 businesses added so while it’s off to a great start we really need everyone to send submit reports about outstanding businesses that deserve our support”. There is a simple form on the web site that anyone can fill out.

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