Ardern: What Aucklanders need to do to get out of lockdown sooner

September 7, 2021

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is urging Aucklanders, and the rest of NZ, to keep testing and following alert level rules to stamp out Covid-19.

Jacinda Ardern is urging Aucklanders to keep testing for Covid-19 and following alert level rules to help join the rest of the country out of lockdown sooner.

It was announced Monday that all of New Zealand except Auckland will move to Alert Level 2 at 11.59pm on Tuesday - but with added restrictions, which the Prime Minister referred to as "Delta Level 2".

So with Auckland left behind, what can people do to get out of lockdown sooner?

"For Auckland, our two asks are please keep getting tested and the same goes for the rest of the country," Ardern told Breakfast.

"We particularly want people who are symptomatic, cold or flu symptoms, please go and get tested even if you're staying at home, even if you're not an essential worker, we still want everyone who's symptomatic to be tested, that's really important."

Ardern's comments come after testing numbers dropped, forcing the Government to appeal for any person with symptoms to get tested for Covid-19 to ensure absolute confidence there are no undetected cases in the community.

"The second thing is just please keep following the rules, so remember to keep your bubbles tight, you don't want a situation where if you find that you have Covid for some reason that you then have to fess up that you've been mixing and mingling with other households. So those are the really important things to do," Ardern said.

"Aucklanders are carrying a huge burden for the rest of us right now and so I know that everyone would want me to say how much that we appreciate that," she added.

But for the rest of the country, Alert Level 2 will have extra restrictions in light of Delta, with new rules around masks and people limits.

Schools and early childhood centres will have time to prepare to open from Thursday morning.

A generic image of a Covid Tracer QR code poster.

Masks must be worn inside most indoor public facilities and also by staff in public facing businesses, but can be taken off for eating at hospitality outlets. 

There will be a limit of 50 people for indoor spaces such as hospitality and indoor event venues to reduce the risk of a super spreader event. Outdoor spaces can have up to 100 people if it is distanced and ventilated. 

Some businesses owners have criticised a lack of warning to prepare for those changes, though.

"For indoor now, it's been dropped to 50. Look, that was advice that our public health officials after looking in real time at what Delta here was telling and showing us, that was their most up to date advice," Ardern said.

"I'm always inclined to try and give people a bit of time, but this was a decision that health officials made after they saw Delta's behaviour here. I really do appreciate that preparing is important, but also giving people the ability to open as soon as they can too."

Scanning in is required at venues where close contact is possible.

Essential workers crossing alert level boundaries will be required to have weekly Covid-19 tests. They do not need to isolate while waiting for the result, unless showing symptoms.

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - SEPTEMBER 06: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to the media during a post cabinet press conference on September 6, 2021 in Wellington, New Zealand. COVID-19 lockdown restrictions have eased across New Zealand with all regions except Auckland now at Alert Level 3. Auckland will remain at Level 4 until Tuesday 14 September.  (Photo by Rob Kitchin - Pool/Getty Images)

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