Covid 19 coronavirus: Aucklanders may have to wait longer to hit the pool or borrow books

Aucklanders desperate to borrow a stack of library books or take a dip in a public pool may need to wait a few extra days.

Auckland Council has warned that its libraries, pools, leisure centres and community centres are likely to reopen in stages, rather than all at once.

This afternoon Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that New Zealand will move to alert level 2 on Thursday.

Retail stores, malls, cafes, restaurants, cinema, schools and other public spaces can reopen in 48 hours, though physical distancing is still needed.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

In a statement this evening, the Auckland Council said it welcomed the impending lowered alert level after six weeks of lockdown.

But chief executive Stephen Town said the council was carefully considering how and when to open its facilities as level 2 began.

"With more than 400 facilities throughout Auckland, including 55 libraries, 38 pools and leisure centres, and nearly 250 council-run and community-led venues, we need to open our facilities in level 2 in a way that is safe and manageable for our staff and customers and locks in the gains we made in level 3," he said.

"Given the scale and size of our facilities, this is likely to mean a staged approach in some areas as we move back to a new, safer normal."

Aucklanders may have to wait a little longer to hit the pool. Photo / File

Strict hygiene protocols and physical distancing were essential to maintain the health and safety of council staff and the local community, Town said.

Information on what facilities will reopen at level 2 and when will be released this week.

Auckland mayor Phil Goff said he welcomed the greater freedom that will come with the lowered alert level, allowing businesses to reopened.

"But with that freedom comes responsibility," he said.

"We still need to observe physical distancing and the heightened hygiene focus which we have learned over recent months.

"And we need, all of us, to avoid reckless behaviour which increases the risk of transmission of the virus."

While Auckland Council's facilities can reopen at level 2, restrictions will remain.

People should keep at least one metre apart, which may lead to facilities limiting the number of people allowed inside at once.

Public swimming pools and gyms can reopen, but again restrictions will be in force.

Some venues may stay shut if they can't open safely, Ardern warned.