Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Businesses brace for pain but family makes most of longer lockdown

Several Bay businesses have backed the four-day extension of the level 4 Covid-19 lockdown but some say it still leaves them with uncertainty.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today announced the entire country, except Auckland, would remain at the highest alert level until 11.59pm on Friday, with a review held that afternoon.

Auckland will remain in a level 4 lockdown until at least next Tuesday.

Lemongrass Catering's Belinda Lombard lost all her business when the lockdown was announced but said an extension was "the best thing for the country".

"We just have to suck it up," she said.

Belinda Lombard from Lemongrass Catering. Photo / NZME

"This dangling of the carrot for three to four days a week, just lock it down. Get it over and done with."

Potential regional level reductions to alert levels 3 or 2 would do little for her due to the nature of her business. She needed an "all or nothing" approach as opposed to a "lockdown limbo", she said.

Today's cancellation of the AIMS Games, which had been scheduled for September in Tauranga, was another blow.

Ardern said Friday's Cabinet decision on whether some regions can leave level 4 will depend on factors including wastewater test results and whether cases outside of Auckland appear.

She revealed a map of Delta outbreak close contacts which showed the virus' "head start", with several appearing to be in the Bay of Plenty.

Health officials remained confident New Zealand could get on top of the virus again, she said.

"We just need to keep it up, ensure we are not in restrictions any longer than we need to be."

Miss Gee's bar owner Ashleigh Gee said she was glad for the extension "based on what's happening overseas in areas like Australia".

"If we do it now, it means a shorter lockdown over time."

Gee said she would rely on the subsidy and hoped to be out of lockdown in two weeks.

Miss Gee's owner Ashleigh Gee. Photo / NZME

Blow Hair Co co-owner Aaron Fenwick said the business had a contingency plan and the past few days had been mostly focused on supporting staff.

Level 4 meant Tauranga and Mount Maunganui hair salons went "immediately to no income". Each week they usually service 400-500 clients.

Fenwick was paying staff himself until there was a greater certainty of how long lockdown might last but planned to use Government support.

Kate Meads was unsure when she would be able to start working again.

Meads, the director of Waste Free with Kate Meads, only operated at level 1 in last year's lockdown restrictions.

She had workshops planned for New Plymouth in the coming weeks but it was not clear whether these should be cancelled or postponed.

"The mental health side of things starts playing a factor. We try to do things online but that's not the same," she said.

"I'd rather they said 'lockdown for three weeks, let's get this done'. That's the hardest thing, we can't look past Friday."

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller. Photo / NZME

Priority One chief executive Nigel Tutt said most businesses expected the lockdown to continue.

However, he said business owners' focus was primarily on staff welfare.

"I haven't spoken to anyone who wasn't expecting to be locked down until at least the end of this week," he said.

"People this time around are much more concerned about staff wellbeing and wellness through a lockdown because we know it can be a distressing time."

Tutt said businesses would be in for a tough run until the end of the year and urged the public to help where possible.

"In level 3, when some food operators and dining places can open up for takeaways, the public should consider supporting them well through that," he said.

"It'll be a tough time for them so any help will be appreciated."

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller, National, said efforts needed to be directed towards vaccinations.

"The Government needs to reset its approach, forget about being so defensive and reach out to business and non-government organisations to really get the vaccine into our community."

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges, also National, said lockdowns could be prevented if vaccination rates were faster: "We can't go on like this for too much longer."

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges. Photo / NZME

Māori Party co-leader and Waiariki MP Rawiri Waititi said Covid-19 case numbers needed to stop or decline before the lockdown ended.

Making the most of a longer lockdown

The Proverbs family in the Bellview and Ōtūmoetai area have bought back a ritual that started in the first lockdown last year.

Adam Proverbs, wife Julia and daughters Bea, 15, and Mia, 12, write thoughtful sayings on a whiteboard, display them for their neighbours on the front lawn and Adam shares a photo about it online.

"With a surname like Proverbs, you can't let it go to waste, right? We had always thought of doing something and lockdown was the perfect time to do it," Julia said.

The Proverbs family, Adam, Mia, Bea and Julia (foreground) posing with one of their daily proverbs. Photo / George Novak

"We get smiles and waves from people walking past, which is fun and makes you feel more connected. We also started a Facebook page, 'Adam's Daily Proverb' so friends and family in the UK and other parts of the country could enjoy it.

"Adam has perfected a 'proverbial' pose, which gets a few laughs from our online followers. It's keeping us amused and hopefully others too."

Adam and Julia both work from home and the girls have schoolwork "so we pretty much get on with our own thing during the day, and come together at lunchtime and at night," Julia said.

Adam said the idea for the daily proverb came from sharing a home office and watching people walk by.

"Obviously my surname had something to do with it," he said.

Bea celebrated her birthday during the last lockdown. On Wednesday, it will be Mia's turn.

Bea said she felt her father's daily proverb was fun and kept people entertained.

Mia said: "I like seeing how many 'likes' Dad gets on Facebook."