Coronavirus Covid 19: Should Auckland Remain at Alert Level 2.5?

By RNZ

Auckland residents will learn tomorrow whether the tighter alert level restrictions will be maintained or if they will have more freedom to assemble, but a public health expert is urging officials to keep the city at current alert levels for now.

Compared to the rest of the country’s Level 2 Alert Status, Auckland has been at a tailor-made “Alert Level 2.5” since August 31, as a step below Level 3 restrictions. people allowed in meetings to no more than 10, while outside Auckland meetings of up to 100 are allowed.

. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said that if a change is made, it will take effect from 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, September 16.

The strict controls on Auckland residents are an attempt to try to curb a community outbreak of Covid-19 that has now infected 176 people. Two new cases of Covid-19 were announced today, one is an isolated international arrival and the other is a healthcare worker at the Jet Park quarantine facility, where infected members of the Auckland group are being cared for.

University of Otago epidemiologist Michael Baker says it is too early to lower alert levels next week, as new cases arrive every day. He wants Auckland to stay at 2.5 for at least another two weeks.

However, he believed it might be safe for the rest of New Zealand to lower restrictions to an alert level 1.5, but said releasing Auckland soon would be a mistake.

The latest outbreak in Auckland was still relatively new compared to the first outbreak of the virus in March, Baker said.

“Remembering the first one took three months from the first case, to really say that we have completely got rid of the virus.

“We’ve only had this outbreak for a month, so I think at this top-down phase we just need to be very patient.”

Keeping Auckland at 2.5 would allow more time for undiscovered potential cases to be identified, Baker said.