The entire country is in an alert-level 4 lockdown from today after a Covid-19 community case was identified in Auckland yesterday and four new community cases have been identified overnight.
Genomic testing has also confirmed the latest outbreak in Tāmaki Makaurau is the highly contagious Delta variant.
As a result, Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula will stay in lockdown for seven days because they are most closely linked to the current case. The rest of the country will stay in level 4 for three days.
What you need to know
The level 4 lockdown advises people to stay home in their bubble other than for essential personal movement.
People may only leave their homes for physical exercise in their neighbourhood, to visit the supermarket, dairy, pharmacy, petrol station or to get medical care.
Schools, workplaces, shops, restaurants, cafes and takeaways are closed. Businesses are also closed except for essential services such as supermarkets, pharmacies, clinics, petrol stations and lifeline utilities.
All events and gatherings are cancelled.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern advises people to wear a mask when leaving the house. She also says there is a 48-hour period from 11.59pm last night for people to return home and for those living alone to join the bubble of someone else also living alone.
"One of the worst things about Covid-19 is the absolute uncertainty it creates but we know this strategy works, and we know life will get easier. We just need to keep going."
Economic support will also be made available, Ardern says.
At Alert Level 4, there are important rules we all need to follow to keep ourselves and each other safe. • Stay within...
Posted by Unite against COVID-19 on Tuesday, August 17, 2021
