Health resources, information, and advice to protect yourself, your family, and your community.
The Essential Worker Pass will allow you to travel only to and from your residence and work. This Pass does not permit you to visit any other location. Should you return a positive test of COVID-19, the pass will be rescinded and you will enter isolation for a period of 7 days as it is Te Marae Ora protocol. If you are in a household where someone else has tested positive and is under isolation, you or your employer will be able to apply to apply for an Essential Worker Pass from Te Marae Ora.
The Essential Business Online Registration form is for employers to register and receive the Essential Workers Pass for their employees. Please note that only essential businesses can register for this form. Read the GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS ON ESSENTIAL WORKERS to learn Public Health guidance for employers of essential workers who are COVID-19 cases or household contacts.
Read the ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND RESTRICTIONS POLICY document.
If you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms or are a close contact of a positive case, please get a COVID-19 test as soon as possible. Testing locations can be found below:
Learn more about the types of COVID-19 tests here. View the locations of your village Clinic/Puna and Health centres here.
If you are a Health and Safety Officer for your business or are conducting personal RAT tests at home, please record all tests using these forms below.
COVID-19 mainly spreads from person-to-person through infected droplets released when a sick person sneezes or coughs nearby another person’s mouth and nose. Te Marae Ora recommends these simples steps to keep yourself and your families safe.
Te Marae Ora (TMO) and the Government of the Cook Islands aims to get all eligible Cook Island residents vaccinated. The vaccine will be free to Cook Islands residents only. The COVID-19 vaccination will be free of charge and completely voluntary.
COVID-19 vaccines that is made available to the Cook Islands is Pfizer. More information on the vaccine can be found below:
You can get a free vaccine if you are a resident of the Cook Islands or hold a work permit to work here. The vaccine is available and recommended to persons +12 years of age. The vaccine is also recommended for persons from 5 to 11 years of age but a consent form is required from the parents or caregivers of the child. Please note that the dosage of Pfizer vaccine is different from the dosage given to those aged +12 years old. Any information collected will not be used for immigration purposes. We are expecting enough vaccines for the rest of the eligible people of the Cook Islands. The vaccine is not recommended for people under the age of 5 years or have a history of severe allergic reaction to any component of the vaccine and they should not take it.
While pregnancy puts women at higher risk of severe COVID-19, very little data is available to assess vaccine safety during pregnancy. Pregnant women may receive the vaccine if the benefit of vaccinating a pregnant woman outweighs the potential vaccine risks. For this reason, pregnant women at high risk of exposure to COVID-19 (example health workers) or who have comorbidities, which add to their risk of severe disease, may be vaccinated in consultation with their health care provider.
The COVID-19 vaccine will be rolled out through a COVID-19 Immunisation programme as supply becomes available. Rollout dates are identified but may change depending on when the vaccines arrive and what’s happening in our community, NZ and the region.
The vaccines will be given to the general public at Rarotonga Hospital. The vaccination sites in the Pa Ena will be located at the TMO hospitals or clinics. TMO will confirm if any changes to venues and will issue vaccination times and groups closer to the dates.
Those who are not able to receive a COVID-19 vaccine due to medical reasons must be exempted. To apply for an exemption you must fill out a Medical Exemption application, and email the completed application to covidvacmedexemption@cookislands.gov.ck . Your application will be processed within 10 working days.
What is a Digital Covid- 19 Vaccination Certificate?
It is valid digital document that serves as proof that you have been fully vaccinated. To ensure all persons whom have been vaccinated can provide a valid form of proof digitally. This can only be done via a Digital Vaccination Certificate that can be stored/saved on any of your devices electronically.
This certificate can then be utilized for Travel and other circumstances that may require you to verify your vaccination status.
In order for the Digital Vaccination Certificate to be valid and verified against your Bio data – the records must match either your Passport Name and/or your Birth Certificate.
What is required?
What must be submitted?
What to do Next?
Should you have any further queries, please send an email to – tmo.vaccinecerts@cookislands.gov.ck
View updated Ministerial order concerning private and public events gathering and what restrictions. Here.
1. All indoor and outdoor events and social gatherings, whether in a private or public setting, organised or spontaneous, are restricted to a specific number of people dependent on the Island you live on, unless an exemption has been obtained from the Secretary of Health (or delegate).
2. This includes (but is not limited to) parties; fundraisers; team sports training and games; sporting events; funerals; weddings; live shows; the cinema; night clubs and family land meetings.
3. This does not include a gathering for the purpose of business or service –
4. All forms of contact sports, whether in a public or private setting, are prohibited, including training and match play.
Contact sports means any sport that involves the participants coming into bodily contact with one another as an accepted part of play.
What defines a Gathering?
Gatherings are situations where people are intermingling in a group and remain closer than 2 metres from each other.
Gatherings include (but not limited to):
This excludes a gathering for the purpose of a business or service:
What defines an Event?
An Event is any activity organized by a business or service where entry is controlled (whether through ticketing, fees, registration, or any other means) that is held at:
This includes normal operations at cinemas, theatres, stadiums, concert venues, conference venues, and private galleries; but excludes any activity at a private dwelling house.
For more information on international and domestic travel, please refer to the Cook Islands Travel page. View Travel Advisory HERE.
Outbound travel to New Zealand remains unaffected. Travel to the Pa Enua may have restrictions depending on their COVID-19 situation. Only passengers with an exemption letter from the Secretary of Health (or delegate) can travel to the Pa Enua if travel is restricted. Please note that a RAT test may be required for travel to the Pa Enua.
As of 17 May 2021, Cook Islands and New Zealand has established two-way quarantine free travel bubble under a Quarantine-Free travel (QFT) arrangement. Meaning travellers outside of New Zealand seeking entrance into the Cook Islands will need to stay in New Zealand for 14 consecutive days prior to departure.
For more information, please refer to Travel Information and FAQ’s for New Zealand – Cook Islands, read the joint Press Release or visit our travel page.
Te Marae Ora staff are based at the airport to conduct international exit health screening for passengers flying to New Zealand, and health screening for international arrivals from New Zealand and domestic departures to the Pa Enua (Outer Islands). Travellers to the Northern Group Islands are required to return a negative COVID-19 test 24 to 48 priors prior to departure.
The Cook Islands sea ports are closed to all yachts, cruise ships and leisure crafts since March 2020.
Te Marae Ora staff are based at the seaport to conduct exit health screening for passengers travelling to the Pa Enua (Outer Islands).
There are three types of tests conducted in the Cook Islands to identify the SARS-CoV-2 virus, that causes COVID-19: 1) RT-PCR, 2) Serology and 3) RAT.
RT-PCR (real time polymerase chain reaction) tests are the gold standard for COVID-19 testing. Samples are collected in two ways: nasopharyngeal (via the nose) swabs or oropharyngeal (via the mouth) swabs. The PCR test detects genetic material from the virus, the RNA – if it is present, you may receive a positive test result indicating infection.
Serology tests are conducted using your blood sample. It detects antibodies in your body and checks your immune response toward COVID-19. A positive serology test result may indicate past infection. A serology test is not diagnostic, but useful for surveillance.
RAT (Rapid antigen test) is generally taken with a front nose swab and detects the presence of specific COVID-19 proteins, such as the nucleocapsid or spike protein. Results can show around 20 minutes after collecting the nose swab sample.
Laboratory testing for COVID-19 involves a mixture of in-country testing, and sending swabs to New Zealand reference laboratories for analysis. You can only receive a test if it is ordered by a clinician at Te Marae Ora. However, in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, RAT kits are available for purchase at your local pharmacy or contact the Puna Clinics. Businesses that received RAT kits also have selected staff members that have been trained and are capable administering a RAT. If you are travelling to the Pa Enua (Outer Islands) or overseas and require a COVID-19 test, testing is available at the Rarotonga Airport.
COVID-19 is a new respiratory illness. It is caused by a virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization declared it a pandemic on 12 March 2020.
Common symptoms include a new or worsening cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, cold-like symptoms (such as sneezing and runny nose), and a loss of smell, with or without fever (>38°C).
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, that causes COVID-19, is spread through the following modes: 1) large droplet spread; 2) aerosalised spread (for example coughing and sneezing); and 3) contact with respiratory secretions (for example contaminated surfaces).
You can become infected through direct contact with infected droplets released through coughing, sneezing, talking, singing or even hugging others. If infected droplets land on a surface or object, you can become infected by putting your hand on the contaminated surface/object and touching your face, mouth or nose.
Quarantine is required if you’ve been identified as a household or close contact of someone who’s tested positive for COVID-19. You will need to undergo tests, even if asymptomatic.
In the event your current accommodation is no longer able to house you, the Cook Islands Government have sourced the following options. To arrange a slot, please contact the TMO call centre on +682 57486 or +682 56180.
Please note that accommodation facilities, including food & beverage requirements, are borne by the individual. We highly recommend you secure COVID-19 Travel Insurance.
Should you be issued an isolation or quarantine order while in the Cook Islands, here is what you can expect.
Isolation/Quarantine
COVID-19 is a new respiratory illness. It is caused by a virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization declared it a pandemic on 12 March 2020.
Common symptoms include a new or worsening cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, cold-like symptoms (such as sneezing and runny nose), and a loss of smell, with or without fever (>38°C).
Less common symptoms include diarrhoea, a headache, nausea or vomiting, muscle pain or body aches, abdominal pain, chest pain, joint pain, confusion or irritability and malaise (a feeling of discomfort or unease).
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, that causes COVID-19, is spread through the following modes: 1) large droplet spread; 2) aerosalised spread (for example coughing and sneezing); and 3) contact with respiratory secretions (for example contaminated surfaces).
You can become infected through direct contact with infected droplets released through coughing, sneezing, talking, singing or even hugging others. If infected droplets land on a surface or object, you can become infected by putting your hand on the contaminated surface/object and touching your face, mouth or nose.
The spread of the virus by aerosols have increased the risk of transmission or contraction. Now the risk of airborne transmission is higher when in enclosed spaces with no airflow, crowded areas and close contact settings (this includes conversations, singing and shouting). The risk is lowered in outdoor settings, less people and if people are social distancing.
Quarantine is required if you’ve been identified as a household or close contact of someone who’s tested positive for COVID-19. You will need to undergo tests, even if asymptomatic.
Isolation is required if you return a positive COVID-19 test. Isolation period is 7 days.
