Tauranga's streets were empty as the city hunkered down on the first day of lockdown.
The usual rush hour traffic was no longer, shops were quiet and beaches were bare.
The only people on the streets were police, security, and the odd person out for exercise.
As of 9.30am yesterday,there had been three Covid-19 cases confirmed in the Bay of Plenty District Health Board and six in the Lakes DHB areas.
Neither DHB had any "probable cases" listed in yesterday's Ministry of Health update.
So far there have been 262 confirmed cases and 21 probable nationally.
Watchdog Security chief executive Brett Wilson said there had been no issues in Tauranga on day one of the lockdown and people understood of the need to stay indoors.
Wilson said the service was mostly assisting on a private basis to keep several rest homes in lockdown and individual homes had taken on themselves to hire security.
Guards were on the gates to ensure only staff and essential deliveries came on-site and to "stop unnecessary interaction and keep them safe because they're so much more vulnerable".
"I don't think people have come to grips with the consequences on those who are unwell or medically more vulnerable to [coronavirus]."
Meanwhile, Life Pharmacy in Tauranga's CBD was "very quiet" with only about 20 people through the doors.
Pharmacist Kirsten Hopkins said it was "totally different" from the days leading up to the lockdown with about a tenth of the customers yesterday. Hopkins anticipated the store would stay quiet for the majority of the four weeks which, although was a good sign of people staying indoors, would impact the business.
Four Square Welcome Bay co-owner Rijwinder Kaur said on Tuesday and Wednesday the store was "too busy" but today was less hectic and more manageable.
Kaur said people coming in looked less stressed and depending how busy the store was in the next few days, a decision will be made about whether to change their opening hours.
Western Bay of Plenty area commander Inspector Clifford Paxton said there would be a "highly visible" police presence across the region, with staff on the roads and in communities.
"We understand members of the community may have concerns but they can be reassured that our focus remains on maintaining public safety, security and public order," he said.
"In line with the alert level 4 restrictions, we are reminding people to stay home. You can still go outside but you must remain within your neighbourhood."
Paxton said officers would "have discretion" in how they deal with matters and how they are enforced and all situations would be assessed on a case by case basis.
An emergency operations centre had also been set up at Barkes Corner where regional controllers will be based while the country is in a state of national emergency.
Tauranga mayor and chairman of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Group for the Bay of Plenty, Tenby Powell, said the emergency centre covered the entire Western Bay of Plenty.
Powell said the centre's primary role was to offer food, water and shelter to those who might need it.
"If we look at our homeless population, there is a need to provide housing, blankets, food, water, whatever," he said.
"The EOC would deploy resources to ensure that separation is maintained, but they're fed and housed at this time, in a way that protects them and protects the community."
However, Powell said Covid-19 was an "invisible enemy".
"We're just making sure we're applying the Civil Defence rules in respect of the Covid 19 rules."
The state of emergency granted central government "very specific powers", Powell said, and the council was now deferring to them on "pretty much anything".
Powell said over the first day of the lockdown, there had been some instances where residents had been caught travelling and claimed to be unaware of the lockdown.
Western Bay of Plenty District mayor Garry Webber said he wasn't concerned about the rates of Covid-19 cases rising in the Bay if people "followed the processes that have been set down".
"It's a situation we just need to manage, and cool heads need to be called into play," he said.
"Just take it one day at a time, manage it sensibly, and leave it in the hand of the professionals."
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Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website
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