Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the country will be plunged into a level 4 Covid lockdown after a positive community case in Auckland.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the country will be plunged into a level 4 Covid lockdown after a positive community case in Auckland.
Northlanders are waking up to another level 4 Covid-19 lockdown and community leaders are urging people to heed the health warnings and stick to the rules.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday announced that Auckland and Coromandel will go into level 4 lockdown for seven days, and the rest of the country - including Northland - for three days, from 11.59pm last night.
The move came after a 58-year-old Devonport man on Auckland's North Shore tested positive yesterday after visiting a GP. He was infectious from August 12.
The man, who isn't vaccinated, and his wife travelled to Coromandel over the weekend.
His wife is fully vaccinated. There is no obvious link to the border at this stage.
Ardern said while results of genome testing won't be back until today it is being treated as a Delta case, hence the quick move to level 4.
It was the first positive case in 169 days since the last positive case in New Zealand.
Whangārei Mayor Sheryl Mai learned about the lockdown while opening the Malayalee Association's Onam Celebration at Forum North and said people there were already talking about what level 4 would mean for them.
''Here we are (in lockdown) again, but we've been here before and overcome it and we can do it again.''
Whangārei Mayor Sheryl Mai is urging people to follow the latest health advice as the country is plunged into a level 4 Covid lockdown.
One concern was that people from Auckland may have fled the city last night to beat the lockdown there and head to their baches in Northland.
''Unfortunately, it's human nature to respond to these situations with what they think is best for themselves. But I would hope those people follow the instructions from the health officials and stay where they are,'' Mai said.
''The fact that the whole country is in level 4, with Auckland and Coromandel there longer, shows we are all in this together.''
She said the most important message for Northlanders was to follow the instructions from the health officials and use contact tracing.
Mai said a three day lockdown will have impacts on some businesses in the region and she hoped it would not be extended further.
The council had initiated its Covid protocol, which sees most council services close and staff working from home.
She said the situation in Australia from the Delta variant showed that we had to do everything we can to stop its spread.
Deputy mayor of Kaipara Anna Curnow urged Northlanders to follow official government advice as they have done in previous lockdowns to ensure normalcy was returned sooner rather than later.
"The anxiety levels have been creeping up recently with what's been happening in Australia. It's better we do it as a short lockdown to have a greater chance of a long one."
Curnow is concerned an extended lockdown in Auckland could affect Kaipara in terms of border placements, as happened a year ago.
Ngāti Wai Trust Board chief executive Huhana Lyndon supported the Government's decision to put the country into lockdown, saying it will save lives.
After almost a week of frustration in August last year, common sense prevailed as police allowed Northlanders deemed to be living on the Auckland side of the border to travel to Mangawhai for their shopping and medical needs.
Roadblocks set up in Mangawhai and on State Highway 1 just north of Te Hana meant hundreds of mostly farmers and retirees along a number of side roads are classified as Aucklanders.
Affected residents claimed rules were being inconsistently applied at checkpoints as they were permitted to drive to Mangawhai on some days only to be told to go either to Wellsford 24km away or Warkworth at other times.
"We look forward to understanding where the borders are," Curnow said yesterday.
Ngāti Wai Trust Board chief executive Huhana Lyndon supported the Government's decision which she said would save lives.
"We are in unprecedented times and we call on people to look out for their loves ones, elders, and the vulnerable and we'll work with our hapu and iwi neighbours to coordinate a planned response should the lockdown exceed three days," she said.
NorthChamber chief executive Stephen Smith said it would be foolish for anyone not to follow government advice and stay home.
He pleaded with NorthChamber members and others to look for signs of mental health which was the biggest challenge for a lot of people during tough times such as lockdowns.
"The cloud of uncertainty is causing stress, compounded by the fact the lockdown can be extended but as awful as it sounds, it would be foolish to throw it aside for the sake of three to four days," he said.
NorthChamber chief executive Stephen Smith said people should follow government advice and stay home.
Yesterday afternoon people flocked to supermarkets across Auckland to stock up on supplies ahead of Ardern's announcement.
In Whangārei yesterday about 5.30pm PAK'nSAVE supermarket did not have people queuing to get in, though the aisles and checkouts were busier than a normal Tuesday evening. But after the 6.10pm announcement many Whangārei supermarkets and liquor outlets were flooded with people stocking up.
However, PAK'nSAVE nationally sent out a message urging people not to panic buy: ''Hi New Zealand. This isn't the news we were hoping for today and realise that news of a potential lockdown is unsettling. There's no need to buy more than you need, we have plenty of food and groceries to go around.''
Level 4 rules: ■ Stay at home in your bubble. ■ You can leave your home to: ■ Shop for essential goods ■ Exercise in your neighbourhood ■ Receive necessary medical care ■ To get a Covid test ■ Wear a mask and maintain social distancing of 2 metres
