The end of Alert Level 4 Lockdown is in sight.
Following the long weekend, at 11.59pm on Monday 27th April New Zealand is moving down to Alert Level 3. It's only because the vast majority of New Zealanders stayed home and stuck to the rules that this is able to happen, so well done!
Initially, NZ will operate at Level 3 for a two week period. Cabinet will continue to monitor the situation and make a further decision on Monday 11th May as to whether we are able to progress to Level 2. Again, this is entirely contingent on us continuing to follow the rules and keep ourselves, and each other, safe. Here's a quick reminder of those rules for life at Level 3.
The Golden Rules for life at Alert Level 3
· Stay home. If you are not at work, school, exercising or getting essentials then you must be at home, the same as at Alert Level 4.
· Work and learn from home if you can. We still want the vast majority of people working from home, and children and young people learning from home. At-risk students and staff should also stay at home, and they will be supported to do so. Early learning centres and schools will physically be open for up to Year 10 for families that need them.
· Make your business COVID-19 safe. COVID-19 has spread in workplaces, so the quid pro quo of being able to open, is to do business in such a way that doesn’t spread the virus.
· Stay regional. You can exercise at parks or beaches within your region, but the closer to home the better. Activities must be safe – keep 2 metres away from anybody not in your bubble. Make minimal trips.
· Keep your bubble as small as possible. If you need to, you can expand your bubble a small amount to bring in close family, isolated people or caregivers ( a secret yeah from me as this means I can now see my grandchildren)
· Wash your hands often with soap. Then dry them. Cough and sneeze into your elbow.
· If you are sick, stay at home and quickly seek advice from your GP or Healthline about getting a test. There is no stigma to COVID-19. We will only be successful if everyone is willing to play their part in finding it wherever it is.
The Golden Rules for businesses at Alert Level 3
· If your business requires close physical contact it can’t operate.
· Your staff should work from home if they can.
· Customers cannot come onto your premises. Unless you are a supermarket, dairy, petrol station, pharmacy or permitted health service.
· Your business must be contactless. Your customers can pay online, over the phone or in a contactless way. Delivery or pick-up must also be contactless.
· Basic hygiene measures must be maintained. Physical distancing, hand washing and regularly cleaning surfaces. Workers must stay home if they are sick.
· If you used PPE in your business before COVID-19, then keep using it in the same way. If you didn’t use PPE in your business before COVID-19, you don’t need it now. This is advice for retailers, manufacturers and the service industries. Different advice applies to essential healthcare workers, border agencies, courts and tribunal staff, first responders and corrections staff.
· Visit health.govt.nz for more advice
· You must meet all other health and safety obligations.
I'm very conscious of the extent to which local business owners, especially small businesses have been adversely affected by the lockdown and look forward to the opportunity for some of them to re-open under level 3. While we are still unable to go out to eat, many cafes and restaurants will be serving food on a pick-up or delivery basis.
I would urge you to think carefully about where you choose to order takeaways from. It might be tempting to order from the big international chains, but for family-owned local businesses, your support right now is vital to their survival. Think about which independent businesses in your neighbourhood you would be sad to lose and check their website or social media pages to find out if they are offering takeaways at level 3. Collecting your meals in person or using restaurants' in-house delivery option (rather than going through a third party) means maximum profits will go to that business.
Although, some of those third party apps for ordering food are better than others - Eat Local NZ (www.eatlocalNZ.com) is a Kiwi start-up created specifically in response to the current situation. Its mission is to help local businesses get back on their feet by taking a cut of 5% rather than 35% like some larger, international food delivery companies. After entering your location, it will list the options for ordering food for collection or delivery in your neighbourhood.
ANZAC Day parades and services - in particular the Dawn Service at the Cenotaph - are an important tradition and an opportunity for Aucklanders to gather; commemorate; acknowledge and reflect. Like so many other public events, it's not currently possible to hold these important events safely and, for the first time in our history they have been cancelled. I know many of you are used to attending the St Heliers Service by the flagpole, the RSA Orakei service or one located in our sports venues such as the long standing College Rifles event. The way we commemorate will feel different this year, but the sentiment will be the same. Below are some of the ways we can show are respect to those fallen, while adhering to social distancing guidelines and keeping our families safe.
Stand At Dawn
At 6am on Anzac Day, Saturday 25 April, a virtual service will be broadcast on Radio NZ National, bringing New Zealanders elements of a traditional Anzac Day service including The Last Post. The advice, as ever, is to remain in your bubbles and mark this moment from your doorways, windows, balconies or front porches - 'Stand together, apart'. More details can be found on the RSA website.
Teddies wear poppies this Anzac Day
Children can be involved by giving the bears in their windows their very own poppy to wear. This provides an opportunity to talk to your children about the symbolism of the poppy and the significance of this day for New Zealand. You can download a poppy-making stencil here and then share a photo of your Anzac bear in the window on Instagram: #AnzacBearAKL.
Landmarks light up to commemorate our heroes
Vector Lights will shine poppy-red on the east side of Auckland Harbour Bridge (city facing) from 7.30pm to midnight from Tuesday 21 to Saturday 25 April to commemorate Anzac Day. Te Ara I Whiti – The Lightpath will also light up on those evenings. Auckland War Memorial Museum will shine in a uniform display of red light from dusk on Friday 24 April until dawn on Sunday 26 April as a commemorative tribute to this important day.
And, all four landmarks – the east side of the bridge, Lightpath, museum and SkyTower – will light up in unison from 3am to 7am on Saturday 25 April, ushering in the dawn on Anzac Day.
Commemorating Anzac Day at home
Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira will commemorate Anzac Day in 2020, albeit in a different way.
While the museum remains closed to the public, The Last Post still plays daily prior to 5pm and the flags are raised at dawn and lowered at dusk. In absence of a physical gathering, the museum’s Online Cenotaph will be a place for people to come together, lay a virtual poppy and leave messages for loved ones who have served, as well as read stories about returned service people. Our Auckland Museum at Home online hub also has a special Anzac Day page with articles, activities and videos suitable for all ages to learn and participate in Anzac Day commemoration traditions including a great recipe for ANZAC biscuits.
Remuera Heritage has a wonderful digital exhibition keeping the Anzac spirit alive through online storytelling. Their website has over 140 stories of Remuera men and women who served and died in WW1. They went to our local schools, lived in our streets and would all have known each other and been well known in the Remuera community. They were mainly in their early 20s when they died.
St Heliers Business Association have a short ANZAC acknowledgement on their facebook page here
https://www.facebook.com/StHeliers/videos/1109545379422024/ and the St Heliers/Glendowie Scouts who have had a longstanding role in organising the St Heliers Service have created a virtual service which can be found here https://bit.ly/ANZACDAY2020
Finally, as our drought continues, please continue to use water sparingly. Our reservoirs are currently at 46% with not much rain expected in the rest of this month. Fortunately, rain is forecast for May, but until then let's continue to use the water we need, and leave car-washing, watering the grass, and long showers until after our supply returns to a healthier level. Watercare have said that voluntary water reductions are working well - let's keep it that way so we don't have to impose restrictions.
Enjoy another relaxing long weekend spending time with your families and reflecting on the strength and resilience of New Zealanders, past and present.
Lest we forget
Desley