Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers:

Auckland is close to leaving Alert Level 3 restrictions but we must not get complacent this weekend.

Level 3 remains in place for the Auckland region until 11.59pm on Sunday evening (30 August) and we urge those in Tāmaki Makaurau to stay home where possible and help reduce any further spread of COVID19.

Police acknowledge the vast majority of our community who have been adhering to the restrictions and we ask people to keep it up.

We know it’s tempting to head out on the weekends but every day counts to help control the spread of the virus.

Police will be out showing high visibility within our communities and continuing to carry out reassurance patrols at places such as supermarkets, pharmacies and beaches.

You must remember to stick to your bubble and keep it small.

Gatherings of 10 are only permitted for weddings, funerals and tangihanga.

Police will continue to operate 13 checkpoints across north and south Auckland as travel in and out of the region is extremely limited.

As of 4pm yesterday, 247,024 vehicles have been processed through our checkpoints.

A total of 10,230 vehicles have been turned around.

If you want to enter or leave Auckland then you must meet the strict criteria or have an exemption.

More information on this is available on the covid19 website (covid19.govt.nz)

Face coverings will be mandatory for people on public transport from Monday when Auckland joins the rest of the country at Alert Level 2 but it’s recommended that people do wear a face mask or covering where possible when you are in crowded places.

Practice physical distancing and if you are feeling unwell, stay home and contact your GP or Healthline for advice around getting tested – remember, it’s free.

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