Editorial: Hoping for a reprieve from Covid 19 coronavirus alert levels

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern giving Covid-19 response update with the director general of health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield. Photo / Mark Mitchell

EDITORIAL

Aucklanders, and those around the rest of the country who are reliant on their custom, will be spending this weekend on tenterhooks - awaiting the outcome of a Cabinet review of the Covid-19 coronavirus restrictions.

These constraints could be eased as early as Monday.

Just over a week ago, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed Auckland would stay at alert level 3 and the rest of the country at level 2 until at least the end of Wednesday, August 26.

At the time, she described the move as a "short but precautionary hold" which Cabinet would review on Friday, August 21.

There are schools of thought for both lifting the restrictions and for staying the course.

Not all confirmed infections have been sheeted back to the source of the cluster in Auckland which brought the clamps down. On the more promising side, Ardern said on Thursday that officials were beginning to discern the "perimeter" of the cluster, figuring out just how far it had spread and making elimination more possible.

Indications from the Beehive, however, are that any announcement on the alert levels won't come through until Monday afternoon at the earliest.

Best then, to set the matter aside and get on with enjoying our day.

Stay at home unless necessary; socially distance from others when out; wash hands regularly; and continue being kind to one another.