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New Zealand’s return to full lockdown from midnight on Tuesday, for the first time since March 2020, has resulted from the identification of the Delta variant of the Coronavirus.

The country's first COVID-19 infection since February, saw New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announce a lockdown across the country with all public locations closed and only essential shops and services such as supermarkets, pharmacies and petrol stations remaining open.

The closures include all of the country's ski fields.

With local governments across the country closing facilities, Christchurch City Council today advised that it is prepared for an extended lockdown.

Committing to continue to supply all essential city services, Mayor Lianne Dalziel stated “we had all hoped that we could avoid an extended lockdown but with new community cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 appearing, we know that continuing the Alert Level 4 lockdown is the right call to make.”

With all aquatic centres, community facilities, gyms and other venues closed, Mayor Dalziel went on to say “all our parks, apart from the Botanic Gardens, are open so you can visit them to get some exercise, but please remember the playgrounds and fitness equipment are off limits while we are in Alert Level 4.

“We also ask that if you are walking your dog through our parks that you take any dog waste home with you and dispose of it in your red wheelie bin. We only have a skeleton crew of essential workers looking after our parks and emptying the bins during the lockdown.”

Mayor Dalziel also advised that it is important that people use the NZ Covid tracer app to scan QR codes when they are visiting supermarkets, dairies, petrol stations and other essential service providers and that they wear masks, adding “w are well prepared for this lockdown and we will get through it.”

Image: Christchurch Town Hall.

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