Gatherings at Orange

Gatherings can go ahead, including weddings and civil union ceremonies, faith-based gatherings, and funerals and tangihanga.

Visiting friends and whānau

Key points

  • There is no limit for indoor or outdoor gatherings.
  • You do not need to wear a face mask at a gathering, but it is encouraged.
  • Workers and volunteers at gatherings must wear face masks — unless they are exempt.

Gatherings can go ahead

All types of gatherings can go ahead, including:

  • weddings and civil union ceremonies
  • faith-based gatherings
  • funerals and tangihanga
  • club functions
  • community fairs
  • social sports.

There are no gathering limits

There are no limits on the number of people who can attend an indoor or outdoor gathering.

Events have different rules to gatherings. Events control access by using tickets, registration, a fee or another way of controlling entry. For example, a ticketed concert held at a place of worship is an event.

Events at Orange

Serving food and drink

You can serve food and drink at your gathering.

People serving or handling food must wear face masks.

If your gathering is at a hospitality venue — for example, at a restaurant — you need to follow the hospitality advice.

If you have exclusive use of a hospitality venue, then you do not need to follow the hospitality advice.

Hospitality at Orange 

Face masks

You do not need to wear a face mask when attending a gathering, but it is encouraged.

Workers and volunteers at gatherings must wear face masks — unless they are exempt.

Performers and formal speakers do not need to wear a face mask when performing or speaking. They should wear face masks when not performing or speaking.

When to wear a face mask

Keep up healthy habits to protect us

Even though we are a highly vaccinated country, COVID-19 can still spread in our communities. Slow the spread of the virus by keeping up healthy habits.

Keep up healthy habits

Marae

Gatherings at marae can go ahead.

Whānau, hapū and iwi may need to adapt their tikanga and kawa to meet public health guidelines.

He kupu āwhina i ngā marae | COVID-19 guidance for marae [PDF, 4.6 MB]

Faith-based gatherings

All faith-based services can go ahead. For example, services at a place of worship, or a prayer group in an individual's home.

Guidelines for places of worship [PDF, 246 KB]

Funerals, tangihanga and last rites

Funerals, tangihanga, burials and viewing of tūpāpaku (the person who has died) can go ahead at Orange.

Support is available

Losing a friend or loved one can be an extremely difficult and challenging time. This may be even more difficult if you have experienced bereavement and grief during COVID-19. At higher settings of the traffic light system, we may need to adapt traditions and adopt new ways of farewelling our loved ones.

If you ever feel you are not coping, it is important to talk with a health professional.

If you need to talk, you can call or text 1737. It is free, anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to talk with a trained counsellor.

Face masks

Workers at funerals and tangihanga must wear face masks.

Providing last rites

Priests, imam and religious celebrants can provide last rites in a hospital, hospice or private residence. If the person they are visiting who is dying is in a health facility, they legally must follow the:

  • visiting rules of the health facility, and
  • all relevant infection prevention and control procedures.

If your family member had COVID-19

There is currently no known risk from being in the same room at a funeral or visitation service with someone who has died of COVID-19.

The World Health Organization advises that friends and whānau may view the body after it has been prepared for burial. You should:

  • not kiss or touch the body
  • wash your hands thoroughly after the viewing.

More information for funeral workers

Funeral directors, religious and faith-based leaders can find more information on health.govt.nz:

COVID-19: Funeral directors, religious and faith-based leaders | health.govt.nz  (external link)

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