Covid-19 Social gathering numbers revised

Relaxing of restrictions around gatherings as Ardern contemplates move to level 1

Northland’s religious and sporting communities would have been jumping for joy after yesterday’s relaxing of gathering-size restrictions. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed the restriction on gathering sizes would be lifted from 10 people to 100 — the maximum amount under alert level 2 — because only 27 active cases of Covid-19 remain in New Zealand.

Ardern added that the Cabinet would on June 8 look at whether the country was ready to move to level 1 and forecast June 22 as a date when such a move could be announced.

The announcement came as many churchgoers expressed their disappointment last week over not being able to attend services due to the gathering restriction.

“I think it’s good news . . . that’s a good jump,” said the chairman of the Whanga¯rei Regional Ministers’ Association, Wayne

Johns.

“It would have been just a bit despairing to go up to 20. I’m convinced that the churches that can gather will have a great time.”

However, Johns said churches with congregations larger than 100 would still be frustrated. He speculated about 30 per cent of Northland’s churches held congregations larger than 100 people.

Yesterday’s announcement was further good news for local sport, which needed gathering sizes of at least 30 to return to play.

Sport Northland chief executive Brent Eastwood welcomed the news but encouraged patience when planning a return to competition.

“For those in organised sport, even training together will be a step towards the full playing status that everyone is after,” he said.

“It is important that [clubs and organisations] take the lead from their national bodies in terms of a process/ timeline for returning to play, and they all appear to be wanting that before determining their own plans.”

Covid-19 testing for asymptomatic people in Northland ended as of yesterday, except in specific circumstances.

Northland District Health Board medical officer of health Dr Catherine Jackson said such testing would cease across the region because the risk of getting Covid-19 was very low, there was no evidence of community transmission and the Northland DHB was well-equipped to respond to any new cases.

“Northland has done a great job of increasing swabbing over the last three to four weeks in order to support the Ministry of Health’s advice on the transition from alert level 4 to level 3 and then level 2,” she said.

Jackson confirmed asymptomatic testing would only occur at the request of a medical officer of health, but she acknowledged such testing could resume if necessary.

Testing would be done in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s case definition — any acute respiratory infection with at least one of the following symptoms: Cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, coryza (a head cold), or anosmia (loss sense of smell) with or without fever.

Since the start of May more than 4000 Northlanders had been tested, all returning negative results. The last positive test for Northland was taken on April 15.

Jackson said an increase of respiratory illnesses like colds, chest infections, and sore throats was expected as winter approached.

Northland has had no new Covid19 cases in 38 days.

I think it’s good news . . . that’s a good jump.

Wayne Johns, Whanga¯rei Regional Ministers’ Association chairman