Loosened Covid-19 restrictions in the Bay of Plenty next week will allow some businesses to operate again but for others "tough times" remain.
It comes as a mental health advocate warns breakdowns should be expected.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a press conference yesterday Auckland and Northland would likely remain in an alert level 4 lockdown for another fortnight but the rest of New Zealand would move into level 3 restrictions from 11.59pm on Tuesday.
Leigh Bartosh, co-owner of Annan Pineapple Pub in Te Puke, was looking forward to reconnecting with customers and already had a plan of attack come level 3.
"We can operate a click and collect takeaway service like we did last year in the wind\down to level 2. We'll set up out the front and take orders, cook the food, structure it out nice and easy so there's no crisscrossing [of customers].
"It'll just be good to reconnect with customers and just show them we've made it through another lockdown and we are here to be there for them, offer them some food."
The bar offers craft beer, pizza and burgers. Local regulars make up about 85per cent of its clientele.
"We're looking forward to slowly returning to normal," Bartosh said.
Bay of Plenty mental health advocate Michael Naera said while some people may be glad at the drop to level 3, many others may be feeling frustration, anger or sadness that the lockdown was virtually continuing.
"All of these things people are feeling are normal. It just becomes a problem when you are stuck at home and start stewing and being angry or sad for a long length of time," he said.
"I think the announcement would've caused that for a lot of people because it's based on fear. Where there's fear, there's anxiety and anxiousness, especially when you don't know when you will go back to work, or open your business, or go back to school."
Naera, chairman of Te Mana Hauora o Te Arawa, said there were two battles people should be mindful of in lockdown – one of loneliness for people living by themselves and another of wanting a break for those living in an overcrowded home.
"It's different for everyone but we need to acknowledge people are going to have a breakdown during lockdown."
Naera said households doing activities together could make a big difference. This could include backyard games or cards "just doing things together, just to break things up a little".
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Matt Cowley said not all businesses had replenished their cash reserves from the last lockdown "and were starting to get nervous".
The step to level 3 was, however, "good news" for eateries that could sell takeaways and for the construction sector, which could operate at safe distances, he said.
Cowley hoped Tauranga residents would support their local retailers and eateries by contactless delivery or click and collect pick-ups.
The Phoenix Bar co-owner Ana-Marie Ward said there was little she and her husband Ralph could do under level 3 due to the nature of the gastro-pub and its Tauranga CBD location.
"For us, personally, this is a bit of a knock. We were just coming out of doing all of this last year," she said.
Ward said they also wanted to do their best "to make sure we are not part of what spreads it in any way".
Tauranga City Council commission chairwoman Anne Tolley said she felt for businesses as the lockdown levels decision "loosens it up a little bit but we still have many restrictions".
"From a business perspective and that of families at home with children, I don't think we are going to see a lot of difference. Many places are still closed, people aren't out and about. It's still going to be tough times."
Tolley will travel to Tauranga on Monday to help run the council meeting in which a representation review is expected to be decided upon.
Tolley said she had hoped to have moved into level 3 earlier to allow for livestreaming of the public meeting but under level 4 the meeting will be held virtually and loaded to YouTube afterwards. Due to an unreliable internet connection at her Ohope home, she will be based at the council for the meeting.
• New Zealand will stay in lockdown until 11.59pm on Tuesday before moving to alert level 3, except for Auckland and Northland which will remain at level 4;
• 70 new cases were announced yesterday;
• Of the new cases, 44 are Pacific peoples, 11 are Asian, six are European, six are Māori and the ethnicity of three is unknown
• The total number of cases in the community outbreak is 347. There are 333 in Auckland and 14 in Wellington;
• There are currently six epidemiologically linked subclusters identified within this outbreak. The largest is the Birkdale Social Network cluster with 45 cases and the Mangere church cluster with 146 cases. The remaining clusters have fewer than 20 people associated with them;
• There are 278 cases that have been epidemiologically linked to another case or sub-cluster;
• Nineteen of the current community cases are in a stable condition in hospital, one of whom is in ICU;
• On Thursday, 37,020 tests were processed across New Zealand
• On Thursday, 90,757 vaccines were administered, of these, 65,541 were first doses and 25,216 were second doses. This was the biggest daily total to date. More than 3.11 million doses have been administered to date, of which more than 1.1 million were second doses;
• As of 8am yesterday, 29,851 individual contacts had been identified and around 76 per cent of them have had a test, most others are not yet due a test.
Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
Youth services: (06) 3555 906
Youthline: 0800 376 633
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Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7)
Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155 ?Helpline: 1737
Anxiety Helpline: 0800 ANXIETY (0800 269 4389)
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
Mark Hohua, known as Shark, was allegedly beaten to death by fellow gang members in 2022.