Coronavirus: How New Zealand Got Its Coffees And Fries Back

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Coffee and fast food seemed to be the first thing on the mind of New Zealanders as the country emerged from almost five weeks of strict lockdown.

The alert level has shifted to level three, allowing takeaway food shops and some non-essential business to re-open.

And it wasn't long before queues formed in front of coffee shops and McDonald's outlets as people rushed out.

"That cup of coffee tasted amazing and I felt a sense of normality come back into my life," said one coffee lover.

"Nothing beats a skilled barista making you coffee," Victoria Howe, who is based in Auckland, told the BBC.

Dr Samantha Keene, a New Zealander based in Wellington agreed, saying "the ability to get a coffee and a scone made by someone else after weeks of doing it myself was a real treat".

But it was the re-opening of McDonald's that got people most excited - with local media speaking to one Auckland resident who said he arrived at 04:00.

Pictures online showed queues of cars and people posing with their fast food loot.

"It's just great to have a wee treat at the end of a pretty tough period in lockdown," Christopher Bishop, a local MP, told the BBC, adding that his order was "a delicious Sausage and Egg McMuffin".

'Don't congregate at cafes'
But though the curve appears to have flattened, New Zealand's top health expert warned against people congregating outside public spaces.

"Like many people returning to work today, I have enjoyed a takeaway coffee. However it is important not to congregate outside the cafes, the carpark of takeaway places like McDonald's. We do not want to see the sort of rebound we have seen in other countries," said Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

How New Zealand turned to science and kindness
Under the level three alert - a notch below its highest alert level - people have still been told to stay at home and work at home if they can, but businesses are allowed to open if they can provide contactless service.

Schools are also allowed to re-open but will have to ensure social distancing rules are followed. Mass gatherings however, remain cancelled and public venues closed.Coffee and fast food seemed to be the first thing on the mind of New Zealanders as the country emerged from almost five weeks of strict lockdown.

The alert level has shifted to level three, allowing takeaway food shops and some non-essential business to re-open.

And it wasn't long before queues formed in front of coffee shops and McDonald's outlets as people rushed out.

"That cup of coffee tasted amazing and I felt a sense of normality come back into my life," said one coffee lover.

"Nothing beats a skilled barista making you coffee," Victoria Howe, who is based in Auckland, told the BBC.

Dr Samantha Keene, a New Zealander based in Wellington agreed, saying "the ability to get a coffee and a scone made by someone else after weeks of doing it myself was a real treat".

But it was the re-opening of McDonald's that got people most excited - with local media speaking to one Auckland resident who said he arrived at 04:00.

Pictures online showed queues of cars and people posing with their fast food loot.

"It's just great to have a wee treat at the end of a pretty tough period in lockdown," Christopher Bishop, a local MP, told the BBC, adding that his order was "a delicious Sausage and Egg McMuffin".

'Don't congregate at cafes'
But though the curve appears to have flattened, New Zealand's top health expert warned against people congregating outside public spaces.

By Yvette Tan April 28, 2020
Source and complete article: BBC.com