Hospitality businesses are back in Alert Level 2 after an announcement by the government yesterday.
The announcement comes after a traveller from Sydney tested positive for COVID-19 upon their return to Australia.
The restrictions for the Wellington region, including Kāpiti Coast and Wairarapa, started at 6pm on 23 June and will continue until 12:59pm on 27 June.
The rest of New Zealand will remain in Alert Level 1.
Hospitality NZ says the announcement is disappointing news.
“Many hospitality operators will experience immediate cancellations. Members have begun to feedback that events and conferences for next week are being cancelled,” says Hospitality NZ Chief Executive, Julie White.
White says that whilst far from ideal, the industry knows what to do.
“The important thing is to make sure we do this right so we curb any potential outbreaks and that this Alert Level doesn’t go past Sunday,” she says.
“We must do everything we can to keep the industry open including the trans-Tasman bubble. That means everyone in the community must be following Level 2 instructions around gatherings, wearing masks, and using the contact tracing app.”
“If there’s one piece of good news from all this it’s that the infected person seemed to have no trouble finding a wide variety of hospitality options in a very short time, and that’s why we want to get back to normal as soon as possible – so we can welcome more of his countrymen,” says White.
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