From Friday - if Northland drops to alert level 3 - police checkpoints like this one at Brynderwyn will be shifted south to the Northland-Auckland border. Photo / Michael Cunningham
From Friday - if Northland drops to alert level 3 - police checkpoints like this one at Brynderwyn will be shifted south to the Northland-Auckland border. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Police checkpoints aiming to prevent illegal travel during lockdown will shift about 15km south to Auckland's northern border on Friday if Northland drops to alert level 3.
Currently police are operating 24-hour checkpoints just north of Kaiwaka, at Brynderwyn and south of Waipū Cove, effectively cutting much of Kaipara offfrom the Whangārei District.
That may change from 11.59pm tomorrow if, as hoped, Northland drops from alert level 4 to level 3. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said Auckland will remain at level 4 for at least two more weeks but Northland will drop as long as there are no positive Covid-19 tests in the region and wastewater tests also come back negative.
As of yesterday officials were still waiting for results from Mangawhai, Waipū and Ruakāka sewage plants, among others.
If Auckland and Northland split alert levels, police checkpoints will be shifted to the actual local government boundary to prevent travel between the regions.
The new checkpoints will be at the SH1/Mangawhai Rd junction; on Mangawhai Rd north of Coal Hill Rd; Black Swamp Rd west of Rako Rd; the Mangawhai Rd/Cames Rd junction; and Mangawhai Rd/Ryan Rd.
Checkpoints at Auckland's southern border were due to start operating at 11pm last night.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said anyone trying to cross regional boundaries between level 4 and level 3 areas should expect to be stopped and asked for proof of essential travel.
Meanwhile, Northland District Health Board is organising a one-day pop-up vaccination clinic at NorthTec on Raumanga Valley Rd, Whangārei, this Friday.
The walk-in clinic is aimed at locals who don't have transport.
It will be open from 10am-3pm for Raumanga residents aged 12 and older. Appointments aren't required but masks and 2m social distancing are.
Further north Kerikeri's vaccination centre will shift today from the Kerikeri Sports Complex to the Turner Centre on Cobham Rd, which has the benefit of an indoor area for administering jabs in poor weather.
From today Kerikeri's Covid vaccination clinic will move to the Turner Centre on Cobham Rd. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Kerikeri's Covid-19 tests will continue to be carried out at the old Placemakers building on Sammaree Place, off Mill Lane, from 9am to 2pm Monday to Saturday.
So far 120,703 doses of the vaccine have been administered in Northland with 2824 on Monday alone. More than 45,000 Northlanders have now received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
As of 6am yesterday 56,875 tests had been carried out in Northland with 395 of those on Monday.
Nationally the number of new cases continues to decline with 49 community cases reported yesterday. All were in Auckland.
Level 3 changes
If Northland drops to level 3 from 11.59pm on Thursday the changes won't be huge — but there is more to it than ''level 4 with takeaways''.
Northlanders will still have to stay in their household bubbles, but those bubbles can be expanded to include close family and whānau or to bring in caregivers or support isolated people.
Gatherings of up to 10 people are permitted but only for weddings and civil unions, funerals and tangihanga/hui mate. Physical distancing and public health measures are still required.
Travel continues to be limited to work, shopping or exercise in the local area. Travel between regions is restricted to essential services.
Level 3 does open up a lot more recreation activity, including surfing (local break only), day tramps, mountain biking on easy trails, swimming in safe local spots and horse riding.
People taking part in water activities should stay within 200m of the shore.
Stores such as Mitre 10, The Warehouse and Bunnings will remain closed but can offer contactless "click and collect" or delivery.
Perhaps the change most eagerly anticipated by Northlanders is the return of fast food.
Cafes, restaurants and takeaways can open for contactless pick-up, delivery or drive-through. On-site dining is not permitted.
Face masks are still required on public transport, at healthcare facilities, and inside any businesses permitted at level 3 that involve customer contact such as supermarkets, pharmacies and takeaways.
