Auckland prepares for contactless trade

Dealers in Auckland are preparing to get back to business after the government confirmed its decision to move the region to alert level three from 11.59pm on September 21.

It means after more than a month of Covid-19 lockdown, many automotive companies can reopen providing they trade in a contactless manner and follow strict health and safety rules. 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the region will stay at level three for at least two weeks, with cabinet set to review the settings on October 4.

The rest of the country will remain at level two, but indoor gatherings in those places will be increased from the current cap of 50 people to a maximum of 100.

Ardern told a September 20 press conference that level four has done what it needed to do – help contain the community outbreak of the delta variant – but level three still provides the rules required to keep on top of the virus.

She added the move to level three is being made because it still provides a cautious approach to battling Covid.

Auckland has been in full lockdown since August 17 following the discovery of a positive delta case in the community.

The rest of the country was under the toughest restrictions for two weeks from the same date before a gradual easing of the levels and an eventual shift to alert level two on September 7.

The Ministry of Health announced on September 20 that there were 22 new community cases, taking the current outbreak’s total to 1,071.

For details of the health and safety rules for trading at level three, click here.