Covid-19: Hospital visitors restricted, toilet paper in hot demand in Canterbury
Hi Cantabrians,
Hundreds are queueing for Covid-19 tests in Christchurch, while grocery shoppers are heeding pleas to not panic buy as the country enters the first day of a nationwide lockdown.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the shift to alert level 4 for at least three days for the entire country after a 58-year-old Auckland man contracted Covid-19 from an unknown source.
On Wednesday, a long line of cars ran down the length of Orchard Rd near Christchurch Airport as people waited to access a Covid-19 testing centre – some as long as three hours. There were similar scenes at a centre on Pages Rd.
As panic buying set in after the 6pm announcement, some supermarkets were running out of toilet paper and flour. A number of photos had been shared on social media showing empty shelves and long queues.
Read the full story by clicking 'Read more' below.
Scam Alert: Fake information regarding December Bonuses from MSD
The Ministry of Social Development is reporting that fake information is circulating about new ‘December bonuses’ or ‘benefit increases’
If you get suspicious communication, please contact Netsafe.
Book Cellar Christmas Opening hours
Merry Christmas from The Book Cellar!
The summer break is the perfect time to relax with a book or two (or three or four…). And, of course, books make excellent gifts. There is still time to come in and find the perfect read for you or someone else.
We are open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week as usual, then our Christmas hours are:
Monday 22nd December, 10am – 3pm
Wednesday 24th December, 10am – 12noon
Friday 26th December (Boxing Day), 10am – 1pm (last day for the year).
We will reopen with our usual hours on Thursday 8th January 2026
Some Choice News!
Many New Zealand gardens aren’t seeing as many monarch butterflies fluttering around their swan plants and flower beds these days — the hungry Asian paper wasp has been taking its toll.
Thanks to people like Alan Baldick, who’s made it his mission to protect the monarch, his neighbours still get to enjoy these beautiful butterflies in their own backyards.
Thinking about planting something to invite more butterflies, bees, and birds into your garden?
Thanks for your mahi, Alan! We hope this brings a smile!
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