Covid 19 Coronavirus: Greenhithe companies choose to go back to level 3 after an infected user visits the pub

Residents at the country’s latest Covid-19 hotspot are turning back to social distancing and wearing masks.

People have flooded the Greenhithe barber on the North Shore for a cut out of fear of not having a chance if the area is forced to close, and a popular bakery is preventing people from entering after an infected man spent more than three hours at a popular local tavern last Friday night.

The Malt was forced to close its doors last night and health authorities urge staff and customers to get tested for Covid as soon as possible.

The bakery next to The Malt, where the port worker enjoyed an evening drinking without knowing he was harboring the contagious virus, was serving customers from a distance today in a scene reminiscent of Auckland’s Level 3.

Baked @ Greenhithe’s Mere Valentine said the bakery was not allowing customers in, instead setting up a temporary counter at the front door and accepting phone and text orders.

“It’s just a precaution for the next few days. There are no customers in the store maybe today and tomorrow,” Valentine said.

After learning about the community broadcast last night, the bakery owner had decided to change for the benefit of the workers and the community.

Although fewer clients were away from home this morning, many had voluntarily returned to use personal protection in public.

“Some wear masks,” he said.

The Barbers Chair, which is located in the same store block, said it will also take additional personal protection measures over the next few days.

“We have masks,” said one of the barbers. “We will see how it goes, day by day.”

He said that people headed straight for the barber business, having learned from previous changes in levels.

“There was a busy bustle first thing in the morning. I think people just wanted to go in, in case there was a closure,” said the barber.

A Greenhithe Village Store staff member said locals appeared to have stepped up their own personal health protection measures.

“Today more people are proactively staying away, two meters away and putting on their masks,” he said.

Local schools were also nervous because parents were told to keep their children home if they had flu-like symptoms or if they had been in contact with someone at the tavern Friday night.

Greenhithe School, a two-minute drive from the pub, posted a notice on its website this morning, saying it had contacted the Ministry of Education.

Hobsonville Point Elementary School told parents that if anyone in their home was at The Malt on Friday, or had been in contact with someone who had been, they should inform the school.

Greenhithe Principal Stephen Grady said: “As a school, we always take the care and health of our children very seriously.

“If your child is sick or shows any signs of Covid-19 symptoms (runny nose, cough, loss of smell, etc.), keep your child home and seek medical attention.