 In June 2020, St John New Zealand announced that it would be laying off staff due to a NZ$30 million deficit caused by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand.The organisation had failed to secure a wage subsidy from the Government despite a 40% drop in income.St John services include emergency and non-emergency ambulance treatment and transport, event medical services, first aid training, the sale of first aid kits and supplies, programmes offering non-clinical support for patients and their family and friends, medical alarms, caring callers who phone to check on someone's well-being and health shuttles to help people with impaired mobility attend essential appointments.