Covid-19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Northland wakes to level 3

Hello Pickle operator Kara Hosznyak is among business owners all ready to resume brewing coffee under Level 3 Photo / Michael Cunningham

Photo / Michael Cunningham

As Northland moves down to alert level 3, leaders in the region have started talks on opening a safe travel corridor through Auckland for both business and leisure travellers in a bid to revive the economy.

Northland moved to Level 3 at midnight after all wastewater tests came back negative while Auckland remains in lockdown following the identification of further community cases of Covid that topped 700.

Cabinet will review Northland's alert level on Monday next week.

Far North mayor John Carter said opening up a safe travel corridor was important for a number of reasons.

"Food supplies which are important to us, domestic tourism, and it's about economic recovery as well. I expect that decision to be made relatively soon."

Carter said those things were always challenging but once rules were set, he expected everyone travelling through Auckland into Northland to fully abide by them.

NorthChamber chief executive Stephen Smith said now that Northland was down to level 3, the decision of safe corridor should be expedited.

"A lot more businesses are able to operate in Northland now so obviously we need to have that corridor set up and the logistics put in place for people who wish to come north for tourism purposes, for tradespeople, and others. We really need to," he said.

Whangārei MP Emily Henderson couldn't divulge much, saying the issue was under discussion and that Government was aware of discussions on that front.

Traffic management ready to be put in place ahead of the frantic rush to fast food outlets in central Whangārei from today. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Northland businesses that are able to trade under level 3 such as fast food and coffee outlets expect an influx of customers when they open this morning.

Hello Pickle in Regent, Whangārei, will operate a click and collect system for coffee sales and operator Kara Hosznyak is "pretty excited" at the opportunity to serve her customers again.

"We in Northland are lucky to be able to trade and people are just really missing that little treat which is the highlight of their day," she said, referring to coffee.

The Government's decision to move Northland down to level 3, she said, was the right move given there has not been any positive Covid cases of the Delta variant thus far.

Level 4 lockdown has hit Ferhat Doganay particularly hard as the Turkish-born Northlander has had to close his new business after just five weeks of trading.

He opened a Turkish kebab shop - his third in Whangārei - at the Okara shopping centre in early July and said Northland should not have been in lockdown as there were no community transmissions here.

"I've had to chuck away stuff like lettuce and carrots as they can't be freezed. Under level 3, it's easy and quick to operate...at least we can earn some income."

He employs 25 full time and part time staff across all three stores in Okara, Rathbone St and Kamo.

Ferhat Doganay had to close his new kebab shop business after just five weeks of trading. Photo /Tania Whyte

Jayesh Madhav, franchisee of Domino's on Water St and Kamo, said his staff would likely open both stores this afternoon.

"We are encouraging people to pay online for contactless pick-ups from our stores or for home deliveries. It would have been nice to go down to level 3 earlier but I can see the Government's reasoning behind it."

Northport welcomed a drop down in alert level and expects an increase in imports and exports but it is unclear at this stage what products these will be, or the volumes involved.

A spokesman said the company expected log deliveries to re-commence but could not be specific about anticipated volumes.

"Accordingly, we have developed an operational plan that will enable us, and everyone who works at the port, to work safely at level 3. This is based on the tried and tested protocols that we put in place in 2020."

Northland's civic and community leaders also gave alert level 3 a thumbs-up.

Northland Mayoral Forum chair Jason Smith said with the Prime Minister's announcement, the region's economy could open up again, albeit in a small way.

"Northlanders need to be congratulated for being patient in the last couple of weeks. We still need to remain vigilant though," he said.

Police were to have moved their checkpoint closer to Auckland after Northland were down to alert level 3 last night. Photo / Michael Cunningham

On the impending movement of police border checkpoints to inside the Auckland regional boundary, Smith reminded people intending to cross the border to familiarise themselves with the new rules under alert level 3 as they were different to those set down last year under the same alert level.

Police checkpoints south of Whangārei were to have moved last night to the intersection of State Highway 1 and Mangawhai Rd at Te Hana, Mangawhai Rd north of Coal Hill Rd, Black Swamp, west of Rako Rd, Mangawhai Rd and Cames Rd, and Mangawhai Rd and Ryan Rd intersections.

NorthChamber chief executive Stephen Smith said alert level 3 was good news for businesses that were able to offer click and collect but a lot of smaller retailers were not able to do so until Northland moved to another level.

"The negative wastewater test gives a lot of confidence in the economy and the fact the virus is not in our community is a huge relief."

Whangārei mayor Sheryl Mai said the move down to alert level 3 was "great news" as well as confirmation all wastewater tested came back negative.

There were still things people and businesses, she said, could not do and reminded businesses in particular about measures they need to put in place during contactless trading under the new alert level.

Unlike those who miss fast food and coffee, Mai said she would love to return to the council chambers and for council staff to go back to work as a number of projects such as the new Civic Centre needed attention.

As at midday yesterday, 127,323 Covid vaccinations have been administered in Northland.

Figures from the Northland District Health Board shows 3302 vaccinations were given and 169 tests done on Wednesday this week.

Between August 16 and 6am yesterday, 7879 Covid tests were done.