MCDONALD’S addicts in New Zealand got their much-missed fix of fries and burgers as they queued around blocks after Covid-19 rules were eased.
Delighted restaurant staff said on Facebook: “Oh we have missed you! Great to see you all this morning enjoying your Maccas meal! What did you miss the most?”
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A thrilled Kiwi mum told The Sun Online: “I got Maccas for my three kids, and the service was so quick.
“The line was long, but the service was incredible, and there was a very fast-moving queue.”
One dad said he had missed his “addiction”, while another man, who couldn’t face the lengthy traffic queues at the drive-thru, said he’d continue making his own burgers at home.
New Zealand on Tuesday recorded just three new cases of the coronavirus, bringing its total infections to 1,472.
There have been 19 deaths.
As a result of swift action from the government – spearheaded by PM Jacinda Ardern – at the start of the pandemic, life has begun returning to normal.
The country had been in a strict lockdown for over a month to prevent the spread of the killer bug.
Conditions were eased a little from midnight on Monday to allow some parts of the economy to restart as new infections wane.
Places allowed to reopen included construction sites, and cafes and restaurants that sell takeaway coffees and food.
But, people are urged to continue working from home if they could, and maintain social distancing.
New Zealand downgraded its alert level from four – complete lockdown – to three, which allows more freedom.
The government has said swimming at the beach, a day walk, or fishing from a wharf would be allowed in level three.
Experienced surfers would be allowed to resume their activity, and tramping and biking is fine for day walks on easy trails.
Some travel would be permitted around the country for essential services and a handful of other cases.
Air New Zealand Chief Revenue officer Cam Wallace said there was significant spike in bookings just five minutes after Ardern’s announcement.
“The line graph is trending upwards, haven’t seen that in weeks!” he tweeted.
Schools will be able to open partially up to year 10 but attendance will be voluntary.
Funerals and weddings will be able to go ahead, but limited to ten people.
Ardern said she still wants the vast majority of people to work and learn from home.
She told Stuff news that with New Zealand at the “tail” end of the pandemic, and as long as people continued being cautious, the country could progress to level two sooner, allowing for public venues to open, and most businesses reopening.
“That tail is tricky, but as long as we can keep those numbers down, then our chances of spending less time in [level] 3 are good, but I can’t predict it.
“It’s as much up to every New Zealander as it is up to me,” she added.
Ardern praised Kiwis for doing an incredible job to break the chain of transmission.
Quoting a microbiologist, the PM said there may still be “some smouldering ashes out there, and they have the potential to become a wildfire again, if we give them the chance”.
In Australia, authorities reopened Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach to swimmers and surfers on Tuesday and hundreds returned to the water as soon as the restrictions were lifted.
People can only use the beach during daylight hours, cannot linger on the sand and are counted to ensure social distancing.
