How to spend our first weekend at Alert Level 4
This is a crucial time. You might be tempted to leave the house this weekend to enjoy your free time. But it’s incredibly important that you don’t revert back to ‘normal life’.
Remember why we are all taking these extreme measures. Stay home. Save lives. This breaks the chain and stops the virus spreading.
How to break the chain, and protect us all:
STOP THE MOVEMENT
The virus is spread by us. It can’t move by itself. So we all need to avoid moving around as much as possible, eg:
● don't travel to and from baches or second homes
● avoid driving out of your neighbourhood
● don't travel across the country in campervans
● note that DOC has closed all of its campsites and huts.
KEEP EXERCISE LOCAL
There are very few exceptions to staying home, but exercise is one of them. Going for a walk, run or bike ride is good for your mental health. Just remember to:
● stay close to home. Enjoy your neighbourhood, but go no further
● keep it solitary, or only with those you live with
● keep a 2 metre distance from others.
DO SAFE ACTIVITIES ONLY
● Our emergency services need to be fully available to respond to COVID-19 cases. Any search and rescue operation reduces the ability of first responders to help others.
● Do your bit to help them by only undertaking safe activities, and avoiding going into areas where you could get lost or hurt and require their help. Avoid outdoor activities like swimming, surfing, tramping, or boating, hunting or hiking.
AVOID PUBLIC SPACES
● All bars, restaurants, cafes, gyms, cinemas, pools, museums, libraries and playgrounds are closed.
● Avoid places like beaches where people commonly linger, or are unable to maintain a 2 metre distance.
● Don't touch surfaces others may have touched when outdoors, like park benches or playgrounds.
When you return home carefully wash your hands, and any items you took with you outdoors.
Poll: Could we live without public bins?
Many public rubbish bins are being removed by councils due to the large costs of regularly emptying them. Do you think we can adapt and live without them?
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the We Say You Say column of your local paper.
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12% Yes
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87.3% No
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0.7% Other - I'll share below
Anzac Day
There are opportunities across the motu for the public to come together to mark Anzac Day this year.
National Anzac Day events include the Dawn Service at 6.00am and the National Commemorative Service at 11.00am (both at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, Wellington), and the Atatürk Memorial Service at 2.30pm in Strathmore, Wellington. The Dawn Service and National Commemorative Service will be broadcast live by TVNZ 1 and RNZ National.
For those wanting to join the Anzac Day parade at the Dawn Service, veterans are asked to assemble on Tasman Street by 5.30am.
The Atatürk Memorial Service in Strathmore will include a wreath-laying ceremony. A shuttle service will be running from Bowes Crescent carpark to the memorial site for anyone who may require assistance accessing the site.
For more information about Anzac Day, visit the Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage website or see the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park Facebook page.
To find out about events in your local community, visit the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association’s website or get in touch with your local council.
Need planning advice?
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Check out our website and feel free to get in touch – we look forward to working with you.