New Zealand Eases National COVID-19 Lockdown, Auckland to Stay Closed

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Friday the government will ease the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, while the nation’s largest city – the epicenter of the latest outbreak – will remain closed for two more weeks. 

At a news briefing, Ardern said that beginning August 31 most of the country will move to a level-three shut down, which allows businesses to fill online orders and do takeout services. Bars and restaurants remain closed, except for takeaways. Ardern said Auckland will remain under alert level 4, which requires all schools, offices and all businesses to be closed, with only essential services operational. Before this latest lockdown, the nation’s last stay-at-home orders were lifted in March. The government took the measures to stop the spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.  New Zealand’s health service reported 70 new cases on Friday, bringing the total number of infections during this outbreak, which began this month, to 347. New Zealand has been one of the best nations in the world at controlling COVID-19.