Five hundred more Defence Force staff are being deployed to managed isolation facilities and the Government is also directly hiring security guards to help control the centres. It comes as officials report six new cases of Covid-19 today, one of which is in managed isolation.
Online search data suggests there has been a resurgence of sewing in New Zealand due to the recent Covid-19 alert level restrictions.
Figures provided by the price comparison website PriceSpy shows a 70 per cent spike in interest for sewing machine prices.
It comes after the Government and health officials urged Kiwis to be ready for another outbreak of Covid-19, before the latest cluster was identified.
Google Trends data also shows face mask searches online have skyrocketed since July 26, with "face mask pattern" and "pattern-sewing" both breakout searches.
North Shore hospitality worker Adele Thomson says she ordered a sewing machine in the middle of the last lockdown and had been learning the skill since.
She has plenty of time to perfect her craft because Elephant Wrestler in Takapuna isn't opening while Auckland sits at alert level 3.
"We've been closed all of level 3 last time and this time as well. It's good though because I've got sewing to fill my time with, plenty of free time," Thomson said.
"I've just made [face masks] for myself but I do have some materials on order so I can make some for other people like my flatmates and friends who have put in requests."
North Shore hospitality worker Adele Thomson says she ordered a sewing machine in the middle of the last lockdown and has been learning the skill since. Photo / Alex Burton
Thomson has also been busy fixing clothing, which her flatmates have been taking advantage of when something needs mending.
Liisa Matinvesi-Bassett, New Zealand's country manager for PriceSpy, says Kiwis appear to be changing their shopping habits this lockdown.
Bread making and baking products were very popular the previous lockdown but there has been a shift in spending habits.
Clicks for sewing machines have increased 68 per cent on PriceSpy year on year between July 7 and August 15, 2019, and the same dates this year 2020.
"Whilst some may be looking to purchase ready-made facemasks, it's pretty clear others are looking to make their own", she said.
Elsewhere, Auckland mother Eva Chen taught herself how to sew during the previous lockdown and has created around 100 face masks.
Eva Chen and Arthur Wen, 8, Annemarie Wen, 14, and Claudia Wen, 12, don face masks. Photo / Supplied
Chen borrowed a sewing machine from a friend before watching tutorials on YouTube on how to create face masks.
"I've got a family of six and each of us has six each. I also made extra for friends I know who have older people or young kids," she told the Herald.
"The YouTube link was pretty straight forward, even with all the steps and the patterns ... after a couple of failures, I started to make some decent masks."
Thomson and Chen both said sewing was easy enough to pick up for a beginner, with plenty of information online available on how to get started.
