'We'll be here as long as we can be' - Dairies prepare for life during lockdown

With New Zealand's coronavirus lockdown now just hours away, local dairies are frantically preparing for their new reality. 

As dairies are considered an essential service alongside supermarkets, many dairy owners are putting new restrictions in place for the lockdown.

Auckland's Wellington Street Superette is one of those diaries staying open during lockdown and staff today have been preparing for the shutdown which takes effect later tonight.

Javed Dadabhai is one of those staff members helping out his family's business by spending today putting up flyers and notices outside the store to explain to customers the new way of operating.

Among those include limiting customer numbers inside the store, setting up a register to track who comes in and out, as well as changing business interactions for staff.

"A lot of it is putting in place the things that we saw late last night on TV and on the news about what kind of precautions we've got to put in place," Mr Dadabhai told 1 NEWS.

"Getting that register up, getting the signs up of just one at a time. We're learning as we're going.

"In the context of things, it's pretty easy to implement. It's more about educating our customers as to why we're doing it as well. There's a bit of learning on both sides."

With no certainty on how the lockdown will continue, Mr Dadabhai and his family are prepared for the long haul, promising to stay open for as long as they're able to.

"We're going to see how this thing keeps going. We may adjust our hours, but we're going to remain open regardless.

"It might be a bit of a change in those hours, but every day we'll be here as long as we can be.

"If the Government changes, if the restrictions change we'll see how that goes. We want to keep accommodating that community.

"If we were told that we have to close, then we'll do it. It's for the greater good of the community, for the country at large.

"I'm also assuming the Government's in a position where they don't know exactly what's happening.

"Everyone's learning as they're going."

The nationwide lockdown begins at 11:59pm tonight, although essential services including supermarkets and dairies will remain open until told otherwise.