Another cased of COVID-19 in the community was not the news anyone wanted to hear on a Saturday evening, Mayor Goff said tonight.

“I understand Aucklanders’ frustration at having to return to Level 3 lockdown, with the disruption it causes to everyone’s lives and the impact it has on businesses, many of which are already struggling,” he said.

“However, the consequences of letting the virus spread would be far more disruptive and would put people’s lives at risk.

“No one wants to be in lockdown, but it is the most effective means by which to stop a potential new outbreak, especially given the increased transmissibility of the new variant of the disease,” he said.

“We are in a much better place than almost any other country in the world because of our strong collective response so far, so we need to keep it up.

“Aucklanders are old hands at this now. We know what to do to beat the virus and we will get on and do it.

“Please keep following all the Ministry of Health guidelines around physical distancing, scanning the app and maintaining good hygiene practices.

“If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, or you were at a location of interest as advised by health authorities, please contact Healthline and ask about getting tested. If you do get a test, please follow the instructions of health authorities, including isolating while you wait for results.”

ENDS

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