Rotorua retailers say they are eager to re-open this week after a long six-and-a-half weeks in lockdown and many are introducing new safety measures as level 2 approaches.
Yesterday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Cabinet's decision to phase in alert level 2.
On Thursday retail operators, malls, cafes, restaurants, cinemas and other public spaces can reopen with physical distancing measures in place.
From Monday schools and early childhood centres will open.
Then on Thursday next week bars will be able to open adhering to the three Ss rules - seated service, social distancing and single servers.
Pubs and bars will be allowed to open earlier if they adhere to rules including serving patrons a meal, not just drinks.
"In 10 days' time we will have reopened most businesses in New Zealand," Ardern said yesterday.
A relieved Rotorua-based Tonic Beauty salon owner Zarnia Lee said the move to level 2 was "awesome news" and she couldn't wait to start working with her clients again.
"It's been a long six-and-half weeks and I'm so grateful my business operates from home and don't have the commercial overheads other businesses do."
Lee, who has owned and operator her sole trader business for 16 years, said she had bookings for the next three-and-a-half weeks and phone calls and emails were constantly coming in.
Rotorua Central Mall general manager Peter Faulkner said the announcement was "great news" after a long six-and-half-weeks.
"There's no denying that we had to do what was done to avoid a huge human cost and now it's time to start the mahi required to rebuild the damage done to the economy by the lockdown," he said.
"After a protracted period of shutdown, [the] announcement has been keenly awaited by our tenants who are literally chomping at the bit to get back to work and on the road to normality.
"Having been in the mall today and seen the number of business owners and staff getting prepared for re-opening, I'm sure that there will be a collective sigh of relief on hearing today's announcement."
Faulkner said the mall had been following the guidelines established for the operation of retail premises.
"The key areas of focus will be maintaining physical distancing, ensuring that hygiene is front of mind, and establishing a means of tracking visitors for contact tracing purposes.
"Things will be different post-Covid-19, however, the underlying focus is to ensure that Covid-19 remains beaten."
Long-time Rotorua retailer Mike Steiner, of Steiners Interiors by Reputation, was also looking forward to reopening.
"We are primed for level 2 and looking fabulous. We have been through a range of emotions but we are happy and confident we can move forward. Financially it will be a struggle but we will get there."
Prestige Auto Valet owner Steve Harvey said he was riveted by the Prime Minister's announcement.
"I think it's great and I'm very happy. I think the Prime Minister has done a really great job in explaining why there needs to be a staged opening up of the restrictions as we move to alert level 2."
Harvey said it made perfect sense as the country was still not entirely free of Covid-19 and no one wanted to return to a complete lockdown situation.
Eat Streat Collective chairman Jason Wright said he and the other members of the collective were "super excited" about finally receiving the green light to open.
"Behind the scenes many of the establishment owners were already making preparations to open and have been further improving their very high level of cleanliness and hygiene."
Wright said the Prime Minister's announcement gave the hospital industry a boost in terms of its future security and was also a "light at the end of the dark tunnel".
But not everyone was happy. Reg Hennessy from Hennessy's Irish Bar felt bars and pubs had been "discriminated against" and should be allowed to open at the same time as restaurants and cafes.
Hennessy said 60 per cent of his establishment's business was serving food, yet under his tavern licence he and other bar premises are the last on the list to open.
He said having to wait another week-and-half to be allowed to open his establishment was "a bridge too far" and he may need to let four of his staff go.
When it comes to community rugby, Bay of Plenty Rugby Union's general manager Mike Rogers said safety for the community was paramount and they would not be rushing into a return to play.
Realistically, he said the union was targeting a June 13 return for senior men's club rugby but the format of any competition was yet to be decided. Details for the women's game were still being worked through, he said.
"Even though I guess from Thursday we're allowed to look at a return to play we're working hard for our clubs to ensure we're in a really strong position to deliver all the necessary measures."
Those measures included following all the contact tracing and social distancing and mass gathering rules, while also taking other sports into consideration, working with Sport Bay of Plenty and other codes.
For secondary school and junior rugby, Rogers said a term 3 start date was the most realistic date to work from, with discussions still to happen with school and junior committees.
Destination Rotorua chief executive Michelle Templer said the announcement was good news for local visitor and retail sectors.
"Rotorua has always been a favourite holiday destination for New Zealanders and we know that many are already planning their next holiday here," Templer said.
"Manaakitanga has always been an important part of Rotorua's identity and it's great to know that we'll soon be able to care for our visitors once more, just like we always have."
Destination Rotorua has launched the second phase of its In Our Element marketing campaign, encouraging residents to explore their backyard and support local businesses.
The first phase focused on businesses that were open in level 3 while the second phase introduces local activities and attractions as they reopen.
"Now we're moving into Level 2, we're able to showcase all the tourism operators that can open at this level," Templer said.
"As well as inspiring people to enjoy their own back yard, we also hope this campaign will help locals be great ambassadors for Rotorua by encouraging friends and family to visit."
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said Rotorua would be ready to make the most of the opportunity to travel regionally at level 2.
"We need to get our economy moving again as soon as possible and more [businesses] will now be able to re-open, albeit with restrictions, under level 2. That certainty will be a big boost to many and while the restrictions will be challenging for some, they are important to ensure we don't undo what we've achieved to date."
Chadwick called on locals to support local businesses and activities, to be responsible, stick to the restrictions, keep their distance and maintain good hygiene.
• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website
Ardern said level 4 and level 3 had broken the chain of transmission, but level 2 meant people out and about again.
"Just about all parts of the economy" will be open again, so she asked New Zealanders to be "incredibly careful" in the "new safer normal".
The alert level will be reviewed in two weeks, and if the numbers are still looking good, gatherings of larger sizes will be permitted.
Key points
- Physical distancing, infection prevention and control requirements must be met at gatherings and events and attendees should be recorded.
- All businesses can open if they can do it safely and they should follow public health guidance about physical distancing and contact tracing. Alternative ways of working are still encouraged where possible.
- Businesses should maintain physical distancing of 1m between groups of customers.
- Hospitality businesses should keep groups seated, separated, and use a single server if possible.
- Many public venues, such as museums, cinemas, food courts and markets, will be open again.
- Public conservation land will reopen, public swimming pools and gyms will reopen with restrictions. Boating and motorised watersports will resume. Sports activities (including those that involve close contact) are allowed but only if good contact registers are maintained.
- School and early learning services are safe to open.
- Tertiary education facilities will implement public health requirements and physical distancing as appropriate and should follow strict cleaning protocol.
'This decision has not been made lightly'.