KEY POINTS: • NZ, apart from Auckland and Northland, has moved into Alert Level 3. • Partial re-opening of stores and restaurants for contactless pick-up, delivery or drive-through. • You can do low-risk recreation activities in your local area. • Level 3 settings will be reviewed by the Cabinet on September 6.
Surf, coffee and takeaways are on the menu for Bay of Plenty residents this morning as the region rejoices after moving into Alert Level 3 overnight.
While still confined to household bubbles, people can enjoy more freedom today and for many that means supporting local businesses which can now offer contactless pick-up, delivery or drive-through.
Mount Maunganui Bakery's first customer wasted no time and was there at 5.30am to get their coffee and bacon and egg pie.
Mount Maunganui's Tania Graham-Brown picked up a coffee while walking her dog Nalu. Photo / George Novak
Owner Grant Iggulden said they had had a few online orders and a few customers to the door who seemed happy, through muffled masks, to get their coffee fix.
He said he was expecting Level 3 to be similar to last year where they only sold about 15 to 20 per cent of what they usually did.
"Level 2 is when it went boom."
He said many of their customers were shift workers from the port and hoped it would pick up later in the week when word got out they were open.
Mount Maunganui's Tania Graham-Brown forgot that it was Level 3 until a mate sent a picture of herself having a coffee at Tay St Cafe.
She was out walking her dog, Nalu, and detoured past her go-to cafe, now that it was open, for her usual chai latte.
She said it was really nice being able to have a chat with people she had been seeing on her walks during lockdown.
"I'm normally a social person ... it just feels a bit more normal now."
About six cars were lined up at the 11th Ave McDonalds drive-through when it opened at 6am.
Mount Maungani residents headed to the Tay St Cafe for their coffee fix. Photo / George Novak
Surfing is allowed back in Level 3 and a cold start to the morning hasn't deterred wave riders in Mount Maunganui. The official advice is stay local, visible and don't push yourself. You are asked to stay 200m from shore.
A photographer at the beach said there were about 30 surfers in the water with more arriving.
Mount Maunganui's Brent Holmes headed to the water at 8am to get in a hyrdofoil surf to clear his head before a busy day.
Mount Maunganui's Brent Holmes headed to the water at 8am to get in a hyrdofoil surf. Photo / George Novak
Holmes said it was busy considering the conditions weren't the best, speaking to other surfers who were out since 6am.
It was "exciting" to be able to get back in the water, and he would like be out there every morning. Holmes went from the waves to a house viewing, with the auction happening later today.
McDonalds lover were at the 11th Ave drive-through bright and early as Bay of Plenty moved into Alert Level 3 this morning. Photo / George Novak
A man driving past the Te Maunga Transfer Station in Mount Maunganui said there was a queue of about 15 cars and it was full inside.
Police will continue to stop people at random across the Bay of Plenty to ensure movement is for essential purposes only, and are urging people to stay in their region at Level 3, a spokeswoman said.
She said police will still take an education-first approach but will move to enforcement action quickly where it is required.
"For the safety of our communities, it is absolutely vital that everyone continues to adhere to the restrictions in place."
Small businesses that watched their incomes drop to nothing overnight due to a snap lockdown are eager to reopen at alert level 3. Among them is a business which opened a cafe space just four months before the lockdown began and a florist who says the lockdown was "devastating".
The building industry will be back on the tools under level 3 restrictions starting today but it is still a hard road ahead for the embattled industry. STORY CONTINUES AFTER LIVE BLOG
Meanwhile, Domino's NZ general manager Cameron Toomey said the pizza-delivery company was "definitely expecting a busy day ahead" - both for deliveries and people coming into stores in level-3 areas.
"We have zero-contact delivery available, and we do have direct contact pickup available as well," he told Newstalk ZB's Kate Hawkesby.
"But we'll be making sure that we've got some procedures set up at the stores to ensure everybody can safely distance as well. We've been here before - we've taken a lot of learnings from last year and, and the various other movements in levels before, and from around the world as well. We just make sure we've got the right amount of people rostered on and we've got our procedures in place that allow us to meet the demand."
And KFC is appealing to customers to be patient when the stampede starts for takeaways, Newstalk ZB reports.
Contactless and drive-thru sales are operating again at most KFC, Pizza Hut, Carl's Junior and Taco Bell stores south of Auckland under level three.
A Restaurant Brands spokeswoman says customers are being asked to treat staff kindly while they wait for their orders. She says staff have stepped up cleaning and sanitising and will be wearing masks and gloves at all times.
KFC's menu's being reduced so social distancing rules can be maintained in kitchens.
Surfers hit the water in Mount Maunganui. Photo / George Novak
Some early birds were at 11th Ave McDonalds first thing this morning. Photo / George Novak
Alert level 3 - rules around gatherings and face masks
The last time New Zealand was in alert level 3 was more than a year ago. With the loosening of restrictions looming, do you know what the shift will mean?
From 11.59pm on Tuesday everywhere apart from Auckland and Northland will move to alert level 3.
The changes will not be drastic but the biggest ones revolve around the partial re-opening of stores and restaurants for contactless pick-up, delivery or drive-through.
What else will alert level 3 change? Here are the rules:
• On public transport and at departure points, for example at airports, train stations and bus stops. • On domestic flights. • In taxi or ride-share vehicles — drivers and passengers. • When visiting healthcare facilities. • If you are a delivery driver to residential addresses. • Inside any alert level 3 businesses and services that are open and involve customer contact, for example supermarkets, pharmacies and takeaways. • At court and tribunals, Government agencies and social service providers with customer service counters.
You're strongly encouraged to wear a face covering when you are outside your home and in a place where it is hard to keep your distance from other people.
Travel and personal movement
You legally must stay within your household bubble whenever you are not at work or school. You can expand this to:
• Connect with close family and whānau. • Bring in caregivers, or support isolated people.
The Government advises you should only include people in your bubble where it will keep you and them safe and healthy. If anyone within your bubble feels unwell, they must immediately self-isolate from everyone else within the bubble.
You can travel locally but regional travel restricted
You can travel within your local area, for example going to work or school, shopping, or getting exercise.
Your local area means the area near your home that you regularly visit for essential services. What is considered local will differ depending on where you live. City dwellers may have a supermarket or dairy close by. If you live rurally, you may need to take a drive to reach these.
If there is an alert level 3 boundary, the Government will publish information on the Covid-19 website about which travel is permitted.
Exercise, sport and recreation
The Government is warning alert level 3 is not the time to take up new activities. You can do low-risk recreation activities in your local area.
Go to your local park or beach, not your favourite one. You cannot stay overnight at your bach or holiday home.
If you are experienced you can do more activities under level 3. These include:
• Surfing — if you are an experienced surfer, you can go to your local break. • Tramping — day walks on easy trails are allowed. Remember to keep your distance from other people. DOC huts and campsites are closed. • Mountain biking — allowed on easy trails if you are experienced and know the trail. • Swimming — in safe local spots. • Horse riding — if you are an experienced rider and it is low risk. Stay as close to home as you can.
Stay within 200 metres from shore if you are kayaking, canoeing, rowing, surfing, wind surfing or paddle boarding.
Physical distancing
Keep your distance when outside your home:
• Two metres in public and retail stores, like supermarkets • One metre in controlled environments, like workplaces and schools.
Public transport can continue to operate with strict health and safety requirements.
Gatherings and events
Gatherings of up to 10 people can go ahead, but only for:
• Wedding and civil union ceremonies. • Funerals and tangihanga.
Physical distancing and public health measures legally must be maintained.
Takeaways and shopping
Cafes, restaurants and takeaways can open but only for contactless pick-up, delivery or drive through. You cannot go in to dine.
Food delivery services, such as Delivereasy and Uber Eats, can also operate.
McDonald's has said it will revert to Drive-Thru and McDelivery only and any restaurant located in a mall will be closed in line with level 3 mall closures.
Stores such as Mitre 10, The Warehouse and Bunnings will remain closed but many can still offer contactless click and collect or delivery.
Public venues legally must close at alert level 3.
This includes libraries, museums, cinemas, food courts, gyms, pools, playgrounds and markets.
Workplaces and businesses
If your business requires close physical contact it cannot operate and it is recommended staff work from home if they can.
Businesses need to display a QR code and have an alternative contact tracing system. Customers cannot come on to the premises — unless it is a supermarket, dairy, butcher, fishmonger, greengrocer, petrol station, pharmacy or permitted health service.
The business must be contactless. Customers can pay online, over the phone or in a contactless way. Delivery or pick-up must also be contactless.
Staff must remain a minimum of 1 metre apart at all times where practical. Other measures, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) including face coverings, are recommended to be used where appropriate.
