Coronavirus: Brian Tamaki's Destiny Church service goes ahead, but steps taken for safety

Destiny Church may not fear the coronavirus but it took a number of steps to ensure those who attended its service today were kept safe.

The elderly, the unwell, anyone who recently visited an ill person and those who had recently been overseas were all told to stay away and watch online.

Two big screens were also set up to allow people who went to the service to watch from their own vehicles.

Yesterday, 13 more positive coronavirus cases were announced by the Ministry of Health - taking the nationwide total to 52.

Two big screens were set up so people could watch from their cars. Photo / Michael Craig

Earlier this week, Destiny Church's leader Brian Tamaki said it was not scared of a "filthy virus" and it would not close its doors either.

"I'm not about to let a filthy virus scare us out of having church," Tamaki said.

"To equate fear with common sense is nonsense. In a time when people are fearful, they need faith, hope, and the presence of God, so we will be keeping our churches open."

The church would uphold responsible practices like washing hands and to tell sick people to stay home, which appeared to be the case this morning.

A number of steps were taken by the church to ensure there was no cross-contamination. Photo / Michael Craig

Inside the church, seating plans had been put in rooms with no more than 100 seats and a screen for people to watch the service on.

Each area was given a different coloured wristband to help ensure there was also no cross-contamination of attendees.

On arrival, people were asked by church marshall's who asked if they meet any of the Ministry of Health restrictions and to use hand sanitiser.

Meanwhile, the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand earlier this week announced it would suspend all public services of worship after today.

There were plans for online worship services to replace them which would be distributed by each diocese.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints were no longer meeting together after the church's leader temporarily suspended gatherings worldwide.

Elsewhere, in New Zealand, a number of Jehovah's Witness congregations had stopped door-knocking homes during the coronavirus outbreak.

There are now almost 300,000 who have been diagnosed with Covid-19 around the world - 90,000 of whom are considered already recovered.

New Zealand, meanwhile, was sitting on alert-level 2 in a new four-tiered warning system.

Alert-level 2 means Covid-19 is "contained but risk of community transmission growing" and human contact must be further reduced.

People aged over 70 were told to stay at home and everyone needs to limit domestic travel by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday.

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