Schools and non-essential services across New Zealand will be closed for the next four weeks after the Government put the country in lockdown to try to stop the spread of coronavirus.
United Kingdom authorities have established a register for Brits stranded in New Zealand due to the global coronavirus pandemic, many of whom gathered outside their nation's consulate in Auckland this morning.
The British High Commissioner to New Zealand Laura Clarke said a register will be live from Tuesday for allUK nationals in Aotearoa.
"That way we will know who is in need of assistance, and will be able to communicate with you directly," she said in a tweet.
"We recognise how stressful this is. We still don't have all the answers you need. But we are working on it and will be able to update you through this system."
1. To all 🇬🇧 nationals in NZ: we are setting up a way for you to register your details with @UKinNZ directly. That way we will know who is in need of assistance, and will be able to communicate with you directly. It will be live in the next few hours.
We encourage British Nationals in New Zealand to register your details with us below. By signing up to this, you will receive regular information about the situation in NZ regarding Covid-19 Level Four, including if any further flights come available.https://t.co/41pAVBw58z
Photos taken by New Zealand Herald photographer Michael Craig today show dozens of people waiting outside the British Consulate on the corner of Wyndham St and Queen St in Auckland today.
Police were also present in the crowd.
The British High Commission in Wellington also said in a tweet that from noon today there's a further 48 hour extension of the window for international passengers departing New Zealand to transit Australian airports to other destinations.
British Nationals in NZ - commencing noon today, there's a further 48hr extension of the window for international passengers departing NZ to transit Australian airports to other destinations. We are contacting airlines to verify ongoing flight options - check back for details.
Dozens of UK national and some police wait outside the British Consulate in Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig
Clarke earlier said: "I know there is real anxiety amongst UK nationals in NZ right now. It's hard to get flights, transit routes are closing, and NZ is moving to Level 4 COVID response on Wednesday. It is a very stressful situation."
The UK's Foreign Office has also said it is reconfiguring and reprioritising to make it has the maximum resource possible to help British nationals abroad.
We are reconfiguring and reprioritising to make sure the Foreign Office has got the maximum resource possible to help British people @DominicRaab updates the Foreign Affairs Committee on work to support British nationals abroad pic.twitter.com/7ie1AqKklY
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) March 20, 2020
NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced yesterdaythat the country is now at level 3 on the Covid-19 alert system with level 4 - the highest alert - to follow at 11.59pm on Wednesday.
Schools, childcare centres and universities will be closed, while all non-essential businesses or services must also shut by the deadline. Kiwis should stay at home unless visiting an essential service. Ardern said the strict measures will save tens of thousands of Kiwi lives.
