Covid 19 coronavirus: Rotorua shoppers sticking to social distancing rules

Rotorua retail groups say most retailers and shoppers are sticking to social distancing rules.

The Ministry of Health says businesses wanting to operate safely at alert level 2 need to maintain physical distancing requirements and keep a record for contact tracing for all people who enter a controlled environment.

A ministry spokesman said people could go out with close friends and family but should maintain a one metre distance from people they did not know or wouldn't normally come into close contact with, where contact tracing is available, and 2m when contact tracing is not available.

Rotorua Central Mall manager Peter Faulkner said "in general" people were abiding by the social distancing requirements.

"But there will always be people who have to be reminded to make sure they maintain the required distances from each other," he said.

Faulkner said the mall and retailers can only do so much and it came down to people taking personal responsibility for keeping themselves and others safe.

He said in a mall it was quite difficult at times to know who were all members of a family group if people got close to each other.

Faulkner said the mall had set a maximum limit of 550 across the complex, and the food court and The Warehouse have specific limits of shoppers.

"In general, it was one for one - that is one shopper in for one coming out - and if it looked like large queues were forming to enter a particular shop people were asked to wait outside," he said.

Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Bryce Heard said there was a danger if people did not fully comply that the country would head back to lockdown mode.

Heard said he had visited eight shops in his area yesterday and there was no evidence retailers and shoppers were not doing the right things.

"I also visited my dentist and there were crosses in every second chair to warn people not to sit on them and people were abiding by the rules, he said.

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

In contrast, there are concerns in Tauranga among retail groups and shoppers that people were too relaxed about abiding by the Ministry of Health regulations.

Downtown Tauranga manager Brian Berry said it appeared retailers and big-box retail businesses were doing what it is expected.

"But some shoppers and members of the general public do seem to be treating alert level 2 as if we are back to normal and they're very relaxed with their social interactions.

"Clearly adhering to the social distancing rules is vital for everyone as the last thing we need is to have to go back into total lockdown," he said.

Mount Mainstreet manager Mandy Gillgren agreed.

Gillgren said that some businesses and shoppers were not fully complying with the social distancing regulations was a major concern.

She said she also had feedback from several shoppers that not all businesses had hand sanitiser at the front of their stores and people on the street were mingling too close.

"I don't think it is fair to other businesses who could not reopen under level 2 because they weren't able to put in place the required social distancing regime."

Millgren said she believed some shoppers were staying away because of some people's relaxed approach to the social distancing rules.