Covid-19 coronavirus: Eerily quiet streets as New Zealand enter lockdown

Auckland Motorway. Photo / Michael Craig, NZ Herald

Reporters and photographers from around the country share what its like on the streets on day one of lockdown.

The streets are eerily quiet this morning on the first day of the coronavirus lockdown.

Photos from around the country show Kiwis are adhering to the new rules to stay at home, unless they are an essential worker, or have a legitimate reason to be out.

In central Auckland, there are very few cars on the road - just a few rubbish trucks and buses transporting essential workers.

Central Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig, NZ Herald

Central Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig, NZ Herald

Central Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig, NZ Herald

An NZME reporter saw only a man walking his dog and a handful of others on the streets, including some homeless people.

Signs at the SkyCity car park entrances read "No Entry".

In Ellerslie, the stretch of Auckland's Southern Motorway which is usually teeming with traffic on weekday mornings was dead.

Auckland Motorway. Photo / Michael Craig, NZ Herald

Auckland Motorway. Photo / Michael Craig, NZ Herald

Dozens of trucks passed by about 6.30am, carrying post, petrol and foodstuffs.

But by 9am the motorway traffic had thinned out to that seen on a Sunday, with only a few essential workers and rubbish trucks passing by.

Wellington Station. Photo / Adam Cooper, NZ Herald

In the Wellington CBD, there was an eerie silence on what would usually be the busiest time of day.

There was a slight hustle and bustle of pedestrians but hardly a car in sight.

The service station on Taranaki St in downtown Wellington is open and operational, but there was just one car on the forecourt when a reporter went past.

Wellington bus exchange. Photo / Adam Cooper, NZ Herald

Wellington motorway. Photo / Adam Cooper, NZ Herald

On Hutt Rd, in northern Wellington - often used by commuters coming in from the northern suburbs - there were just a couple of courier vans and freight trucks.

The train line is right next door. Usually the sound of commuting and trains whistling past would drown out the rustling of the leaves in the bushes but that breeze and rustling is still clear, with the hum of the daily commute absent.

Tauranga. Photo / Ben Fraser, NZ Herald

Tauranga. Photo / Ben Fraser, NZ Herald

Tauranga. Photo / Ben Fraser, NZ Herald

On the urban motorway, there was still a scattering of cars going into and out of Wellington's CBD this morning. It appears there were still a number of people who needed go into the central city as essential workers.

On Papanui Rd in Christchurch, it's usually bumper to bumper in the morning, but today it's freely flowing.

The petrol station had closed its doors.

Red Bus is continuing its route, and the odd jogger is keeping up their fitness routine.

With very few essential services in the CBD, the roads are virtually empty.

A taxi was parked up on an empty street. Empty buses continued on their routes.

An LED sign usually warning of traffic is warning of essential traffic only, and telling people to be calm and be kind.

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VirusFacts2

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website