Coronavirus: St Patrick's Day celebrations under way despite 'social distancing' advice

Bars are forging ahead with St Patrick's Day events despite the Prime Minister urging "social distancing" and banning gatherings of over 500 people.

Plenty of revellers are expected at a long-running festival on Takapuna's Hurstmere Rd, held across three neighbouring bars - Florrie McGreal's Irish Pub, Master & Apprentice and The Elephant Wrestler - and featuring live music, dancing and Irish pipers.

And in Wellington those keen to join celebrations at one bar will pass bouncers with hand-sanitiser - and international travellers must prove they arrived before the self-isolation requirements kicked-in.

Events haven't been called off despite Jacinda Ardern yesterday urging people to accept social distancing as the "new norm", in a bid to contain Covid-19.

"If you're close enough for someone to spit on you when you talk, you're too close," Ardern said.

The Government has also asked that gatherings of 500 or more people held outdoors or indoors be cancelled. Further guidance on public gatherings will be announced later this week.

All bars and pubs in the Republic of Ireland have been closed for two weeks to try halt the spread of Covid-19, but that step hasn't been taken yet in New Zealand, where there has not been any confirmed community transmission of the illness.

Steve Shute, director of The Elephant Wrestler and a board member of the Takapuna Beach Business Association, said the party was actually three separate events.

"We are a block of three pubs that sit on the same part of the strip, but they are three individual events. All licensed separately.

"We are keeping our capacity as per the permit that is issued by council - so under 450 people."

John Hellebrekers, managing director of Joylab, a network of venues that includes The Elephant Wrestler, said all Ministry of Health guidelines and advice was closely monitored to keep patrons and staff safe.

Wellington pubs are also going ahead with events - but with some changes. JJ Murphy's on Cuba St will have a bouncer at the door with hand-sanitiser, RNZ reported, who will also check passport stamps to make sure international travellers shouldn't be in self-isolation.

The hospitality sector is being hit particularly hard by the pandemic and severe border controls. This afternoon the Government announced extra spending of $12.1 billion, including wage subsidy for employers up to 12 weeks and up to $150,000 if they have suffered a 30 per cent decline in revenue compared with last year.

Over 12 weeks the scheme is expected to cost $5.1b - an attempt to help New Zealand through a health emergency that is expected to hit the economy harder than the Global Financial Crisis.

Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Julie White said the package "amounts to a fraction of what is required". Thousands of hospitality and accommodation workers were being laid off "as we speak", she said, and more people would lose their jobs, including from supporting industries like laundry services and transport companies.

"The key issue for hospitality and tourism businesses is cash flow and these business continuity packages, while a significant first step, do not sufficiently address the industry's concerns - we will be seeking further support from government."