Life at level 2 — a sneak preview Alert level: 3
Range of sector leaders give their views on what next step to freedom might look like
New Zealand could be moving down to level 2 as early as next Wednesday. But how much more freedom will that give people?
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will outline details today but going to the gym, movies and restaurants already look set to be back on the cards, with some restrictions.
We spoke to a range of sector leaders to see what life at alert level 2 could, and should, look like and whether life will start returning to normal.
Travel and tourism
After more than a month of inactivity, the tourism industry is optimistic because most businesses will be able to reopen and domestic travel restrictions are expected to ease, even though the Government is yet to confirm anything.
Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) said that at this stage level 2 does not allow non-essential domestic travel, but it is hoping that will change, saying New Zealanders who can travel safely must be allowed to do so.
TIA chief executive Chris Roberts said: “Safely reconnecting our families and communities is a social and economic necessity. Aviation, accommodation, hospitality, retail and most recreation and tourism activities can all be operated safely under level 2.”
However, should that happen, travellers will have to get used to businesses having track-and-tracing processes.
“The level 2 guidelines specifically allow for activities like bungy jumping and kayaking tours to resume, but there’s little point opening your business if you can only have locals as customers,” Roberts said.
Simon Cheung, chair of the New Zealand Chinese Travel and Tourism Association, said most of its members were already gearing up for business.
“We have gone from marketing our services online to looking at advertising in local billboards because clearly our customer base has shifted from Chinese tourists to domestic travellers.”
Cheung said many were optimistic that the Government would allow domestic travel “because it was the only sensible thing to do”.
Recreation
Boaties get ready — recreational sports such as boating, fishing, hunting and mountain biking can all start up again under level 2.
Public venues such as museums, libraries, cinemas, gyms and pools can also reopen but may be run a bit differently.
Recreation Aotearoa spokesman Sam Newton said the facilities would have to ensure contact tracing and physical distancing and may have to limit the number of people entering the facilities at one time.
“At level 2 not a lot [of recreation] is disallowed. It’s more of the stipulations around gatherings — no more than 100 inside or 500 outside.”
Children should also be allowed to finally return to the local playgrounds.
Newton was hoping that interregional travel restrictions would also be lifted because this could be a barrier for some people to participate in certain sports.
The skifields were also waiting on clarification around this because it would be a key factor as to whether they could open this season.
Uncertainty, however, remains about whether club sports and contact sports will resume.
Education
It’s good news for parents struggling to work at home with their children — schools and early childhood education centres will be open to all children at level 2. Post Primary Teachers’ Association president Jack Boyle, who represents secondary teachers, said he would expect the strict bubble restrictions of no more than 10 children under level 3 to be eased or lifted altogether.
“If there is an increased bubble or any type of bubble then that will have impacts on the staffing. I would imagine the direction of travel is towards not having bubbles or what was in the level 2 advice on the way up and that is gatherings of no more than 100.”
Boyle said some changes could include assemblies being cancelled to avoid mass gatherings.
Larger schools with several thousand students may look to stagger intervals and how students enter the schools.
He also expected provisions to be made to support students who might be anxious about returning to school.
Vulnerable staff would also be
encouraged to stay home and those who felt they needed to wear protective gear would be allowed.
Increased sanitisation and hygiene practices would be in place and children who were feeling unwell would be expected to stay home.
Tertiary providers such as universities and polytechs can also open their doors again under level 2 but lectures or gatherings with more than 100 people cannot happen and there are likely to be remote-learning options. Student halls could also reopen. Universities New Zealand chief executive Chris Whelan said it was up to each university to decide when it would open its campuses — and how that would happen.
Business
Most businesses can open under level 2, but many will have to adopt a new model of operating. That could include remote working, shift-based working, physical distancing, staggered meal breaks and flexible leave arrangements.
Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Barnett said it would be a return to the “new normal” for many businesses.
“I think most businesses will open but I still think that many people will be working from home as offices work out what the social fairness is going to be.”
Businesses would also need to ensure contact tracing and policies around staff being sick.
Manufacturers would also be back at work, but Barnett said a drop in demand for products could affect the workforce.
Retailers will also be opening but are likely to face limits on how many people can be in a store at one time.
Retail NZ chief executive Greg Harford said it was likely physical distancing markers would be in place in stores and perspex screens would be installed at counters to separate staff.
Staff were likely to start wearing gloves.
He did not expect contact tracing to be needed given this was not required by supermarkets at level 2.
Click-and-collect offers could tail off slightly when customers were allowed back in stores, he said.
Small Business Voice chief executive Max Whitehead said it was crucial that all businesses could be open and operating under level 2.
Supermarkets and hospitality
Supermarkets have been open right through the pandemic and it doesn’t appear there will be many changes from level 3 to 2 as physical distancing and mass gathering rules continue to be a priority.
Countdown and Foodstuffs were waiting on the guidance from the Government before sharing if any changes would be made.
Countdown general manager of health and safety Kiri Hannifin said the safety processes in place for level 4 remained unchanged at level 3 and stores were still limiting the number of customers in stores at any one time.
Foodstuffs NZ head of corporate affairs Antoinette Laird said its stores, which include New World and Pak’nSave, were planning ahead so they could respond quickly.
Food and Grocery Council chief executive Katherine Rich said under level 2 it would start to become clear how many restaurants and cafes would not be reopening and this would give the food industry a better idea about how much it would lose in terms of revenue and jobs.
Although it is unclear what dining out will be like at level 2, it is likely that diners will be socially distanced and asked to write down names and contact details at bars and restaurants. Official level 2 guidelines state: “All gatherings must record attendees to ensure contact tracing may be conducted if necessary.”
The Restaurant Association says it is finalising level 2 guidelines and working with WorkSafe and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
Association chief executive Marisa Bidois said restaurants were likely to operate with “fewer tables to allow for adequate space between diners”.
Bidois said that even though restaurants had been allowed to open for takeaways at level 3, it has not been a silver bullet.
“Most businesses have not been able to fully adapt their offer to takeaway only and it’s only once we can return to dining in that we will see revenues rise for many,” she said.
“That having been said, consumer confidence may still be low and with no tourism, we still expect to see at least a 20 per cent fallout.”
Real estate
House sales reached record lows at the end of March and April, and the industry is ready for the restrictions to lift.
Open homes are expected to be reinstated and real estate agents should be able to take more people through properties and attend on-site appraisals as long as they maintain physical distancing.
Real estate offices will also reopen. The Real Estate Authority was still developing official guidance around level 2, but it is likely that open homes may be able to go ahead with some restrictions.
Agents already collect details of people viewing properties at open homes so contact tracing was already in place.
Police and courts
Police enforce the various levels of restriction set by the Government and will continue to do so under level 2 using an education-first approach.
“The specific nature of the alert level 2 guidelines is not yet known,” a police spokesperson said. “And even after the official rules are laid out, police officers will have to use discretion to enforce them.”
Meanwhile, courts will slowly start getting back to normal with level 2 allowing more cases to be heard — with the exception of criminal jury trials, which will not start before August 3.
The District Court is hearing all bail applications, case reviews and pleas, and basic sentencing is going ahead.
The High Court is hearing custodial remands, criminal appeals, pretrial applications and low-profile sentencing.
The precise details of what level 2 might mean for the different jurisdictions and court houses is still unknown, but a Courts spokesperson said it was likely to lead to an expansion of the work.
Health
Health and disability care services should be able to operate normally where possible.
Like level 3 and 4, primary care consultations should be done over the phone or via video call if possible.
Urgent and semi-urgent elective surgeries resumed under level 3 and more of these, including non-acute cases, are likely to be carried out at both private and public hospitals.
There may also be a further relaxing of rules in regards to visitors to hospitals. Under alert level 3, patients were allowed one visitor a day.