Aucklanders return to malls as New Zealand eases COVID-19 lockdown in biggest city
WELLINGTON: Shops and malls in New Zealand's biggest city Auckland flung their doors open for the first time in three months on Wednesday (Nov 10) as the city, which is at the epicentre of the country's COVID-19 outbreak, gradually reopened.
Retail stores filled up within hours of reopening due to pent up demand while some shoppers reportedly queued up outside malls overnight to take advantage of early bird offers at some stores.
Libraries, museums and zoos were also allowed to receive visitors as the government eased coronavirus restrictions amid a pick-up in vaccination rates and due to mounting pressure from critics calling for more freedom.
The hospitality sector, however, remained shut.
In her first visit to the city since it was locked down on Aug 17, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the hospitality sector will reopen as soon as Auckland hits its vaccination target.
"We have maintained contact with hospitality representatives all the way through ... we know how tough it's been," Ardern said.
"But the light is at the end of the tunnel. We will see reopenings in the very near future as Auckland starts to hit those targets," she said.
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