Coronavirus: New Zealanders told to stay at home and not to move

New Zealanders told to ‘act as if they have the virus’ as country moves into total lockdown.

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern announces a nationwide lockdown in Wellington on Wednesday. Picture: Getty Images

New Zealand has moved to a total lockdown to fight the coronavirus pandemic, with the country’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, ordering all non-essential workers to stay at home and have physical contact only with the people they live with.

The stark stay-at-home message urges New Zealanders to act as if they have the virus and warns them the tough restrictions are necessary to save lives and every move they make could ­potentially put someone else at risk.

New Zealand businesses and schools will be closed from Thursday for several weeks, and people have been told to stay put in the houses in which they fall asleep on Wednesday night.

The moves to declare a national state of emergency came as 50 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed, increasing the number in New Zealand to 205.

All New Zealand phones were immediately updated by text on the decision to raise the COVID-19 alert level to Level 4, with a list of instructions to follow to immediately lock down and stop the outbreak.

Unlike Australia, the New Zealand government has publicised details of the different stages of coronavirus lockdown. Level 4 is the last, most draconian step.

Side-by-side: This is Australia's COVID-19 text alert beside the message residents in New Zealand received. #Coronavirus #auspol pic.twitter.com/RPu2Yq59Ah

— news.com.au (@newscomauHQ) March 25, 2020

“This message is for all New Zealand. We are depending on you,” the text from the New Zealand government reads.

“Follow the rules and STAY AT HOME. Act as if you have COVID-19. This will save lives.

“Remember: Where you stay tonight is where YOU MUST stay from now on. You must only be in physical contact with those you are living with.

“It is likely Level 4 measures will stay in place for several weeks. Let’s all do our bit to unite against COVID-19.”

Ms Ardern said she had to close schools and businesses — except for supermarkets, clinics and pharmacies — to save lives and stop the spike in cases.

“Every move you make could be a risk to someone else. That is how we must all collectively think now,” she said in Wellington.

“I know how hard this will be, especially for New Zealanders who face the first day unemployed and with an uncertain future.”

Ms Ardern unveiled the COVID-19 alert system at the start of the outbreak to clearly set what steps would be taken if the pandemic in New Zealand got worse.