Coronavirus: New Zealand shutdown moves to strictest conditions

New Zealand will almost completely shut down within two days as the Kiwi PM adopts far harsher measures than Australia.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces that the country is moving to alert level 3 and soon after level 4 which means people will be instructed to stay at home, educational facilities close and all businesses will close except for essential services like supermarkets, pharmacies and clinics. Picture: Getty Images

New Zealand will almost completely shut down within two days, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern telling the country on Monday that if community transmission rates skyrocket "tens of thousands of New Zealanders will die.’’

"Our plan is simple - we can stop the spread by staying at home and reducing contact,’’ said Ms Ardern.

March 23rd 2020 New Zealand moving up to level 3: Non-essential businesses and schools must close.
In 48 hours we will move to level 4 and we need to all stay at home.
Hopefully level 2 gave people time to prepare & be confident that these are data based decisions so don’t panic pic.twitter.com/HgXWdlQiMb

— Dr Michelle Dickinson (@medickinson) March 23, 2020

"Now is the time to act. That’s why Cabinet today met and agreed that, effective immediately, we will move to alert level three nationwide.

"After 48 hours - the time required to ensure essential services are in place - we will move to level four.

"These decisions will place the most significant restrictions on New Zealanders’ movements in modern history. This is not a decision taken lightly. But it is our best chance to slow the virus and to save lives.’’

The level four restrictions - far harsher than those adopted in Australia - will result in the closure of all businesses save supermarkets, doctors, pharmacies, service stations and some banks.

Schools will only be kept open for the children of essential service workers.

"Non-essential businesses in New Zealand News now close,’’ said Ms Ardern.

"All bars, restaurants, cafes, cinemas, pools, museums, libraries, playgrounds, any other place where the public congregate, must close their face-to-face function.

“Over the next 48 hours, those who provide, for instance, takeaway services, must move to close their operations also.

"All indoors and outdoor events cannot proceed. In short, we are all now preparing as a nation to go into self-isolation in the same way that we have seen many other countries do.

"Schools will be closed from tomorrow, except to the children of essential workers such as doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, police, and there will be others on that list.

"This will give them time to plan, but it will be temporary.

"Schools will close entirely from midnight on Wednesday. The school term break will be brought forward. For the remainder of the term, schools will establish ways to teach online and remotely.’

Earlier on Monday, the country’s director general of health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, revealed that another 36 cases of coronavirus were confirmed overnight, bringing the total to 102.

Despite Ms Ardern’s concerns over community transmission, Dr Bloomfield said that most cases in New Zealand originated from overseas.

“Of the cases today over half are directly related to overseas travel, most of the remainder are close contacts of a previously confirmed case or associated with an event where there were confirmed cases such as the Queenstown World Hereford Cattle conference,” Dr Bloomfield said.

“More than 1100 laboratory tests were carried out yesterday, bringing the total number of completed tests to over 7400.

“Most of our cases are still from people who have travelled to NZ from overseas.”