the Government will struggle to justify keeping alert levels raised if no other community cases of Covid-19 are reported today.

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Test results from those who visited the same gym as Covid-19 case M will influence whether Auckland can leave lockdown this weekend.

Cabinet will meet later today to decide if Auckland and the rest of the country can go down alert levels.

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Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says several factors will play into today’s decision, including close contacts remaining in isolation.

He says he also wants to see the remaining test results from people who visited Papatoetoe CityFitness around the same time as case M.

As of yesterday there were 29 results from these casual-plus contacts outstanding.

Meanwhile, even if Auckland’s level drops it would be prudent to keep the rest of the country at level 2 a little longer, Covid-19 data modelling expert and physicist Shaun Hendy says.
National Party leader Judith Collins says the Government will struggle to justify keeping alert levels raised if no other community cases of Covid-19 are reported today.

Four days have passed with no new community cases.

Collins says people’s patience with lockdowns is wearing thin, and if there are no more positive cases today, she would expect restrictions to ease.

But she says it’s important Cabinet makes the right decision, to avoid the yo-yoing of alert levels

The two Papatoetoe High School students who have refused to be tested, are being required to isolate until the Medical Officer of Health is confident their infection period is over, Associate Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall says.

She told Morning Report that the Medical Officer of Health on the ground will be working with the students and their families to ensure there are arrangements in place that instill confidence that the isolation rules will be observed plus there would be daily calls and welfare support.

-RNZ
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