COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate FAQ

Everything you need to know about the Public Health Order and mandatory vaccinations for the education sector.

At Code Club Aotearoa we believe in protecting our health and keeping everyone as safe as possible. For this reason we have updated our policy to comply with the government health order that education services must only allow those fully vaccinated to provide onsite services during active or opening hours.

Key dates are:

First vaccination by 15 November 2021
Second vaccination (fully vaccinated) by 1 January 2022

Volunteers and leaders present for in-person code club sessions across all sites and venues will need to provide proof of vaccination. You can access your vaccine certificate through My Covid Record below:

My Covid Record

For more information on proof and vaccine certificates, please visit:

Requesting proof of vaccination

A small number of people may not be able to be vaccinated for medical reasons. If you fall under this category, you will need to provide evidence from a registered medical specialist. For more info please see:

Exemptions and exceptions from mandatory vaccination

If you choose not to vaccinate or you have a medical exemption and you feel it isn’t viable or safe to continue with in person sessions, you can however continue to host or volunteer with us via online code club sessions. Please contact us to discuss this.

To provide us with your proof of vaccination or exemption once you have obtained it, please send it through to our vetting email address: [email protected]. Please see Our Terms of Service for info regarding our privacy policy and how any personal information is stored. If you don’t feel comfortable sending this info even with password protection or encryption please reach out to us to arrange an alternative option.

Below is a list of FAQs surrounding mandated vaccinations. It also includes advice for both unvaccinated and vaccine-hesitant members of Code Club Aotearoa. We will be updating the FAQs accordingly, however if you’d like to chat to us please email [email protected]

Is this legal?

Yes. Please see section 9: minister may make COVID-19 orders of the Public Health Reposnse Act 2020. You can read the Public Health Response Act 2020 in full here.

What happens if I’m not vaccinated?

From 15 November 2021, you cannot be onsite supporting or hosting an in-person Code Club session if you do not have at least one vaccination or a medical exemption. From 1 January 2022, we cannot continue to have you on-site and leading or supporting sessions if you are not fully vaccinated.

Do Code Club students need to be vaccinated?

Young people aged 12 to 15 are eligible for vaccination; it is, however, not mandatory. Those aged 12 and under are not currently eligible.

What if I cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons?

As per the ministry's information, there is only a small minority of people in this situation. If you are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons and are able to provide a medical certificate to support this, then it is up to you whether or not you feel safe enough to continue with in person sessions. We suggest you have a discussion with the club leader. If you are the club leader, please feel free to chat with us about this here.

What if I choose not to be vaccinated?

That is your choice. Volunteers and leaders who are present for in-person code club sessions across all sites and venues will need to have their first dose of the vaccine by 15 November 2021, followed by their second on or before 1 January 2022. If you choose not to be fully vaccinated you will no longer be able to return to supporting and or leading in-person code club sessions as of 1 January 2022. You can however continue to host or volunteer with us via online code club sessions. Please contact us to discuss this.

What if I don’t want to disclose the information required for proof of vaccination?

The Public Health Order overrides the Privacy Act and as such, you must reveal your vaccination status to us by 1 January 2022. We will keep this information confidential, and you can read more about our privacy policy here. It is an offence under the Public Health Order to refuse to provide this info and if you do refuse we will assume you are unvaccinated and you will no longer be able to continue with in-person code club sessions.

What is Code Club Aotearoa’s position on vaccine mandates?

It has always been our priority to keep everyone involved with Code Club Aotearoa as safe as possible. It is mandatory for our volunteers and leaders to complete the police vetting process as required by the Ministry in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014. We will continue to align with the Ministry’s decision for education services, based on scientific evidence and supported by a robust legal framework, to mandate covid-19 vaccinations across the sector. We believe the policy provides maximum protection for everyone involved with Code Club Aotearoa and their health.

How can I get evidence of my vaccination status?

You can view your COVID-19 vaccination records online via My Covid Record. In November, you will be able to download a vaccine certificate and view your test results. You can request a letter of confirmation from the ministry here.

Advice for unvaccinated and vaccine-hesitant members of Code Club Aotearoa

Before deciding to refuse the vaccination, Code Club Aotearoa strongly encourages you to seek medical advice, talk to your GP, and talk to your friends and whānau who have had the vaccine to consider the impact your decision may have on the people closest to you as well as your own day-to-day life.

There are plenty of resources available for you to check out if you're either unsure, or leaning towards not getting vaccinated.

The easiest way to get your vaccine is to make an online booking. You can view the list of walk-in and drive-through vaccinations here.

If you still believe you're unlikely to get vaccinated, we respect your decision but also reserve the right to no longer to continue to allow you onsite, supporting or leading in person code club sessions as of 16 November 2021.

We want to encourage those who decide not to get vaccinated or those with a medical exemption who do not feel safe to continue in person, to support our program by hosting or facilitating online code club sessions. To find out more about this please see our guide to remote learning. Please contact us if you have any questions about this or to discuss your options.

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