Auckland is set to move to "Level 2.5". Photo: Getty ImagesTo paraphrase Klemens Wenzel Furst von Metternich: when Auckland sneezes, the rest of New Zealand catches a cold. From today, our biggest city moves out of Alert Level 3 and to a sort of Level 2.5, out of lockdown and into life closer to "normal" but with gatherings capped at 10 people. Masks must be worn, to the approving nod of some epidemiologists who have been preaching the importance of face-covering for months. She specifically referred to Aucklanders heading to other parts of the country, asking them to maintain their Level 2.5 vigilance no matter where they went.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 30, 2020 15:33 UTC