Covid 19 coronavirus: Some Auckland families 'desperate' to go to level 2

By Liu Chen of RNZ

Auckland will move down to Covid-19 alert level 2 from Monday if there's no significant change in the cluster's growth and trajectory.

That will allow schools, retail and hospitality businesses to reopen.

There are Aucklanders who support the plan, others who fear level 2 is still too risky and some who think the Government's approach is too cautious.

Matautu Vagaia, who installs shelves in warehouses around the country, said his workplace needs the alert level to come down. Photo / Liu Chen; RNZ

On the streets of Ōtara, one University of Auckland student, Rani Leaupepe, said the city shouldn't wait longer to move to level 2.

She said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern needs to recognise how desperate some families are and she also wants to go back to the university doing things face-to-face.

"I think she could have done it on the Wednesday. I don't think we need to go into an other couple of days. I mean, families need the income and people need to go to work, especially for those who are not essential workers," she said.

Matautu Vagaia, who installs shelves in warehouses around the country, said his workplace needs the alert level to come down.

"They stop us from going in the warehouse and going around Auckland. We got a big job out of Auckland, but we can't go."

However, Naomi Fruean, also from Ōtara, said it's risky to relax the restrictions and it's better to stay in level 3, if not going to the level 4 lockdown.

University of Auckland student Rani Leaupepe (second from right) with her relatives. Photo / Liu Chen; RNZ

"I know that most of the cases are in South Auckland and a majority of us is like extended families. We are like really big in numbers so if one of us gets it our extended family could get it as well."

She said it's good that masks are made mandatory on public transport.

"I think it will be really helpful especially for essential workers like bus drivers. They're more at risk. They're putting themselves at risk for us so that's the least we could do to protect them."

Ōtara fruit and vegetable shop owner Sohit Gagneja supported a continued lockdown, despite the hit to his business.

"I think businesses would be suffering. You can see all the stores nearby me - they are closed. Like our business is going down 10 to 15 per cent," he said.

He thought making masks mandatory on public transport at level 2 was also reasonable.

"Because they're sitting pretty close by so they can't maintain two-metre distance at all, so mask should be mandatory - the same as Melbourne and Victoria in Australia."

In Auckland city centre, most welcome the news of a level 3 extension which ends next week.

University student Ivan Kovalev said relaxing the restrictions will help with young people's mental health.

"Lots of my friends, personally, have this issue - of course teenagers or young adults dealing with loneliness and anxiety," he said.

The settings will be reviewed again before Sunday, September 6.