It’s another two weeks of lockdown for Auckland and it could be even longer.
By the time the next decision is made for the region, Aucklanders will have spent 11 weeks in either level 3 or 4.
The level 3 and 4 lockdown between March and May last year was 52 days long.
When Auckland’s current restrictions are reconsidered by the government in a fortnight, it’ll be 76 days.
There have been 386 cases of Covid-19 in the community in the last week alone, and around 150,000 eligible Aucklanders are still not vaccinated at all against the disease.
The government has repeatedly said high vaccination and testing rates would help towards easing restrictions.
If 90 percent double-vaccinated is what’s wanted for Auckland, that could be weeks away. Auckland is 18,000 people short of 90 percent first doses and even if all of these were vaccinated today, they would have to wait three weeks for their next one and two more weeks for full immunity.
On Friday the government will reveal the next phase of a Covid-19 protection plan for New Zealand with a 90 percent vaccination rate featuring prominently.
Auckland’s alert level will be reassessed by Cabinet on 1 November.
