Government faces tricky decision on alert level change

This time Auckland, it is almost too much to believe we [could be a couple of days away from takeaway food, barista coffee and click and collect shopping](. Auckland has already spent longer in [2021’s level 4 lockdown]( than the country spent there, [last year](. A few [boundary breaches]( and the odd over-sized private gathering aside, [the discipline and responsibility shown by Aucklanders]( has been extraordinary. If in the summer of 2019/20 we had been told [Aucklanders could stay at home for five weeks]( with [most businesses closed]( no one would have considered it plausible. “Your work has paid off,” said the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Sunday’s 1pm briefing, although whether it will get us to alert level 3 this week, is [Monday’s decision](. Careful behaviour, [getting tested, and getting vaccinated]( along with all the personal sacrifices made due to limited movement and gathering, are just a few of the burdens Aucklanders have borne. A [move to Level 3 this week]( providing it is approved, will not be the end by any stretch. [Level 3 still keeps many Aucklanders away from their jobs, and young people away from schools](. The power of [putting community before self has been highlighted by Aucklanders]( and that is a lesson we may need to keep in mind and we start to look at what needs to change or be done better, [as the city moves towards the goal of alert level 1](. Not just with [Covid-19]( but in being prepared to support more vulnerable communities, and also to deal with the other big challenge of these times, [tackling climate change](. Spare us another recitation of lines like “We have done it before, we can do it again” but the truth is we have and we can, and not just in tackling Covid-19. See more from Todd Niall here [Read more]( After [five weeks in alert level 4]( Aucklanders will today find out if they can add some comfort to their lockdown – but pandemic [modellers and epidemiologists agree that a shift down alert levels would be “a calculated risk”](. After a weekend where the number of daily community cases increased – [20 on Saturday]( a [further 24 on Sunday]( and an [outbreak in the Waikato region]( – the Government has the tricky job of deciding whether to persist at level 4 to stamp out the Delta variant or drop to level 3 and bring some relief to angsty Aucklanders. [What property do Kiwis look up during lockdown? Turns out it's 'beach']( [Wānaka lockdown breacher also facing drink-driving and traffic infringements]( [Lantern Festival moved to Auckland Showgrounds after two years of cancellations]( [Anger over Auckland students heading to class in Tauranga]( You've received this email because you have opted in to receive Your Auckland from Stuff Did a friend forward this to you? [Sign up to get Your Auckland]( to your inbox [Unsubscribe]( [Newsletter Settings]( [Privacy Policy]( [Advertise]( [Feedback](