New Zealand has woken up to Alert Level Four Lockdown this morning after a community case was identified in Devonport. Since then, four other cases have been identified.
The government took swift action as it had previously announced it would if any Delta variant cases were found in the community. New Zealand does not want to echo what is happening in New South Wales so, while a possible seven day lockdown is a huge blow to the hospitality sector, it is better to have a short and sharp reaction than to be stuck in a drawn out lockdown as we have seen across the ditch.
The key message from the last lockdown remains relevant: Stay at home, Save lives, Be tested. This will stop any undetected spread in the community.
Accomodation services, which include retirement villages, campgrounds and backpackers, can remain in operation. To be clear, according to government legislature:
Accomodation:
(a) means accommodation provided by a business or service in which multiple groups of 1 or more residents share facilities (such as a kitchen, bathroom, or laundry) or common areas (such as a lounge or recreation space), for example:
- (i) a hotel
- (ii) tertiary student accommodation
- (iii a boarding house
- (iv) a backpacker hostel
- (v) seasonal worker accommodation; but
(b) excludes a school hostel.
Accommodation service bubble arrangement means an arrangement:
(a) between not more than 10 residents of the same accommodation service; and
(b) in which the residents who are aged 18 years or over have agreed:
- (i) to comply with this order as if they were 1 home or place of residence for the length of their stay at the accommodation service; and
- (ii) to not be part of any other arrangement of the kind described in paragraphs (a) and (b)(i)
For more information about doing business at Alert Level 4, click here.
You can also find detailed response planning information here.
