COVID-19 Testing – Important information for our community
Because there is no community spread in Auckland, the people in our community who most need to be tested are those who have symptoms and are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19.
You are at higher risk if in the 14 days before your symptoms started:
● You were in contact with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19
● OR you travelled overseas
● OR you had direct contact with a person who has travelled overseas within the past 14 days (eg Customs and Immigration staff, staff at quarantine/isolation facilities)
● OR you worked on an international aircraft or shipping vessel
● OR you cleaned at an international airport or maritime port in areas/conveniences visited by international arrivals
How can I protect my whaanau?
Although we don’t have community cases of COVID-19 in Auckland it’s still important to be vigilant.
The same actions that protect you and your whaanau from COVID-19 will also keep you safe from the flu, colds, and other infectious diseases. Washing your hands continues to be one of the easiest ways to keep yourself safe. Continue to cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue, clean surfaces, and stay home if you’re sick.
For information on current Community-Based Assessment Centre (CBAC) opening hours, visit www.countiesmanukau.health.nz
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
Loading…
