Police checkpoints were set up around Auckland's borders, people rushed to the supermarkets to stock up and testing centres boosted capacity as New Zealand moved up alert levels in response to community cases of Covid-19.
Photo: RNZ
Auckland moved to alert level 3 at midday today, while the rest of New Zealand moved to level 2.
The move was part of the country's resurgence plan, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield outlined last night.
The resurgence plan has been actioned after four members of one South Auckland family tested positive for Covid-19.
Dr Bloomfield said today that another four people connected to the family were being treated as probable cases. They are all symptomatic and are in isolation.
He made the significant move in issuing a health order for all the colleagues of the people who tested positive, and the people they live with, to stay at home until they are contacted by health officials and given further instructions.
Police and Defence Force staff have been present at nine checkpoints around Auckland. About 30 to 40 people were turned around for various reasons, but most showed a commitment to do the right thing, police said.
Meanwhile, Covid-19 testing centres across Auckland boosted capacity and can now analyse up to 8000 swabs daily.
More than 1600 people had been swabbed by 1pm at two pop up centres in Ōtara and Grey Lynn.
Seven more Covid-19 community testing centres opened across Auckland this afternoon.
The pop-ups are in Wellsford, Warkworth, Silverdale, St Lukes, Botany, Takanini and Waiheke Island.
All will be open for seven days a week.
Nine extra testing centres would be stood up by tomorrow morning in Auckland, Health Minister Chris Hipkins told Checkpoint.
Northern Region Health Coordination Centre lead Margie Apa said it was essential to provide as much access to testing as possible.
She said the waits at testing centres today had been very long.
Apa urged people to be prepared for more lengthy waits if they were heading to testing centres.
There is no community testing available at hospital Emergency Departments.
Testing centre locations:
The Whānau Ora Community Clinic, Wiri
Otara Community Testing Centre
Eden Terrace Community Testing Centre
Northcote Community Testing Centre
Whanau House, Waipareira Trust, Henderson
Health New Lynn
Community testing centre pop ups:
Takanini Urgent Care
White Cross St Lukes Accident & Urgent Medical
EventFinda Stadium/North Shore Events Centre
Botany Road Community Testing Centre, Golflands
Look back on our live coverage here: