Venkat Raman
Auckland, September 6, 2021
Although the number of Covid-19 cases in the Auckland community has been 20 over the past three days, the City will remain at Alert Level Four until such time Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield and his officials are satisfied that it would be safer to change.
The rest of New Zealand will move to Alert Level Two from 11.59 pm tomorrow, Tuesday, September 7, 2021 but the government has been obliged to place severe constraints.
This is now being officially assigned as ‘Delta Level Two.’
Schools outside of Auckland can open from Thursday, September 9, 2021.
Even at Alert Level 2, public gatherings including all events held indoors should not have more than 50 guests at a time, while outdoor activities such as games and meetings in open spaces can have up to 100 people.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that these changes will bring ‘disparity challenges,’ with the country’s biggest city shut down at Alert Level 4, with other cities and towns moving to Alert Level 2.
“This change will bring with it many challenges,” she said at a media conference this evening.
People living in areas coming under Alert Level 2 should observe the following: (1) Essential workers crossing alert level boundaries must undergo weekly tests and must produce proof of such tests to the authorities at the borders (2) Essential workers moving from South of Auckland to Northland must go through without stopping (3) The advice to all such travellers is ‘Do not stop in Auckland’ (4) Face covering is mandatory to all people in all areas moving out of their places of work or home, but these can be taken off while at eating places (5) Staff employing at all places of public gathering must wear face masks (6) Scanning
“Scanning is now mandatory everywhere- bars, restaurants, cinemas, churches, close contact venues such as hairdressers. Even in places where it is not legally required, my suggestion is ‘please scan.’ It is easy to track when necessary,” Ms Ardern said.
Middlemore Hospital patient
A patient, who was tested Covid-19 positive at Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland yesterday (September 5, 2021), has been isolated.
Dr Bloomfield said that the link to this patient has not yet been established but was confident.
“The patient should ideally have been isolated when hospital staff thought they could be infected with Covid-19. Middlemore Hospital will review its procedures,” he said.
When asked about moving down the alert levels, Ms Arden said, “We want to see a good case of containment in Auckland,” Ms Ardern said.
