'Prepare for waves of Covid-19': Civil Defence

Friday, 14 August 2020

Emergency Management Southland controller Angus McKay says Southlanders should hope for the best but plan for the worst with Covid-19.

Southlanders should prepare themselves for waves of Covid-19 outbreaks, Emergency Management Southland controller Angus McKay said.

He will be the administrator for a new Regional Leadership Group announced on Friday to coordinate Southland’s response to the virus.

While New Zealand waited on news of whether the alert level restrictions implemented on Wednesday would be extended past midnight on Friday, McKay said the group were ready for whatever Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s announcement would bring.

“We always hope for the best, but we always plan for the worst,” he said.

“We should expect that this is going to carry on for longer than tonight.”

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Southland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Sheree Carey.

The Regional Leadership Group, chaired by Gore District Mayor Tracy Hicks, is a formalisation of the response and recovery work that had already been going on behind the scenes since the first outbreak, McKay said.

It includes the Southland mayoral forum, the Southland civil defence joint committee and stakeholders including Iwi, police and Southern District Health Board.

The group would coordinate a response across the region and implement directions from central Government.

“Everyone wants to get on with what the best thing will be for Southland,” McKay said.

Southland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Sheree Carey said Southland businesses should meet with their staff on Friday – ahead of 5.30pm when new alert levels may be announced – and prepare for any scenarios that may unfold.

Auckland is currently in level 3 lockdown and the rest of the country is in level 2, but at 5.30pm Jacinda Ardern will announce whether to extend lockdown or go to other alert levels.

The timing of the announcement, at the close of business before the weekend, was not business friendly, Carey said.

‘’We advise businesses meet with their staff beforehand and have a plan in place for each of the different alert levels and be ready to go.’’

Businesses had '’been there and done that’’ so will already have a good idea of what was required.

Carey hoped any further government funding help for businesses would not be confined to Auckland.

She knew of Southland businesses that had already been affected by the new alert levels imposed this week.

Aucklanders had cancelled trips to Te Anau, Invercargill and other parts of Southland, bookings had been cancelled at hotels and motels and events had been canned.

These included the Southern Oyster Bash, a cocktail party for 400 people who were coming from around New Zealand to be hosted by TW Events & Incentives at Bill Richardson Transport World on Saturday night.

TW Events & Incentives events manager Adam Reinsfield said they cancelled because the health of their guests was top priority.

The oyster bash had been seen as an opportunity to draw people south and give the struggling hospitality and tourism industries a bit of a boost, as visitors would have stayed in Southland’s hotels, dined at its cafes, and taken in the sights.

‘’To have had to cancel at the last minute was a bit of a low for the whole team, our guests, and all of our suppliers,’’ Reinsfield said.

Carey said there were still barriers for some businesses working to level 2 in Southland and it would be unfair if the next Government subsidy was just targeted at Auckland.

She encouraged Southland businesses to ensure they displayed the Government's Covid tracer app QR code at their doorways, which would be mandatory from Wednesday.

The app allows users to scan the code and keep a log of where they have been.