Jacinda Ardern has ruled out Auckland hospitality venues opening for outdoor customers even if the Government decides to ease COVID-19 restrictions in the Super City on Monday.
Cabinet will, on Monday, review and decide whether Auckland can move to alert level 3, step 2 on Wednesday - allowing retail stores to reopen.
In an interview with The AM Show on Monday, Prime Minister Ardern was asked if the Government would also consider allowing hospitality venues to reopen to limited customers in a socially distanced, outdoor setting after the sector last week called for them to be included in any easing of restrictions.
As well as retail stores being able to open, Aucklanders would also be able to socialise in their backyard with up to 25 people if the Government decides to ease restrictions.
"Keeping in mind, for most hospitality venues, for instance, [25] wouldn't be a particularly viable level of operation for them," Ardern said.
In that case, hospitality won't be able to reopen until alert level 3, step 3 of Auckland's roadmap out of COVID-19 lockdowns.
However, vaccination levels in the Super City could mean restrictions stay as they are for another three weeks - when Auckland's three district health boards are expected to reach 90 percent of eligible populations being fully vaccinated. Once that milestone is reached, the roadmap will be scrapped and Auckland will enter the 'traffic light system' - meaning hospitality can reopen to fully vaccinated customers.
On Sunday, Counties Manukau DHB crossed the 90 percent first dose milestone - the last Auckland health board to reach the threshold.
"In Auckland, we now have all three DHBs that have now reached first dose 90 percent," Ardern said. "That means that within as early as three weeks, you could see Auckland moving into the new framework which opens up everything again."
She said despite some public health measures, the traffic light system would allow businesses to operate in a more financially sustainable way.
"In the meantime, we continue with the resurgence support payment and the wage subsidy as we come to this point of transition," Ardern told The AM Show host Ryan Bridge.
She will make announcements about the potential easing of restrictions during a press conference at 4pm.
