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The first morning of mandatory masks on public transport in Auckland goes well, and Auckland Transport says more than 90 percent of commuters are complying.
Anyone caught violating the government order, which was issued Monday and went into effect Thursday morning, faces a maximum fine of $ 4,000 or a prison term of up to six months.
It applies to both passengers and drivers.
RYAN ANDERSON / Stuff
At Britomart train station on Thursday morning, most people were abiding by the mandatory mask rule.
Children under the age of 12 are exempt, as are those riding school buses.
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People with medical conditions that prevent them from wearing a mask or covering their face safely or comfortably, including people with asthma or a disability, are also exempt.
The new restrictions are a response to a recent community outbreak of Covid-19 in Auckland.
Thursday morning, on the early ferry service from Hobsonville Point, and on the bus used by a Things A reporter from the center, each passenger could be seen wearing a mask.
RYAN ANDERSON / Stuff
An AT worker waits at Britomart wearing a mask.
Several transport officers and police officers are stationed at Britomart to ensure that passengers comply with the new mask rules.
Passengers not wearing masks when approaching the doors will be asked to don them.
Auckland Transport spokesman Mark Hannan had been at the station Thursday morning and said that between 90 and 95 percent of people were wearing masks.
He congratulated Auckland residents for their attitude towards wearing masks and said the police were handing out masks to those who did not have them.
Police at the scene were taking an “educational approach” by giving people masks when they got on trains and chatting with those who were not wearing them when they exited.
RYAN ANDERSON / Stuff
Around 90 to 95 percent of people were said to wear masks at Britomart on Thursday morning.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday that face coverings are essential to “further strengthen” the country’s response to Covid-19.
SIMON PLUMB / Things
At the Akoranga bus station, police officers distributed masks to those who needed them.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the government would consider expanding the order to include other parts of the country.
He said he would also consider scanning QR codes with the Covid Tracer app when taking public transportation or attending an event or business.
RYAN ANDERSON / Stuff
A man without a mask talks to AT staff. Some people with asthma or other health problems are exempt from wearing masks.
This is not the first time that masks have been mandatory on public transport. In August, amid a community outbreak centered in south Auckland, it became a requirement at alert level 2 or higher.
Last month, though not required, Chief Health Officer Dr. Ashley Bloomfield advised people using public transportation to cover their faces. Many chose not to.
However, as they are now mandatory, almost everyone moving through the Britomart train station was wearing a mask or face covering on Thursday.
DAVID BLANCO / THINGS
In October, when Dr Ashley Bloomfield asked Auckland residents to wear masks, only a handful of people could be seen wearing them.
Meanwhile, a Washington-based University of Auckland professor says New Zealanders are likely to wear masks as part of their public transportation routines, but must be careful not to become complacent.
Dr Tim Welch, an expert on transportation and urban modeling, said that clear leadership at the national level puts New Zealand in a good place for masks in public transportation to normalize.
RYAN ANDERSON / Stuff
Travelers arriving in Auckland City on Thursday.
That’s in stark contrast to the United States, where decisions are left to individual states and the use of masks has become “politicized,” he said.
“In New Zealand it is much less political and more social and kind to do for your neighbor, for those around you.”
The professor, who is currently teaching New Zealand students online from Washington, is optimistic that wearing masks on public transportation will become part of Kiwi’s routines, as normal as carrying a HOP card.
