Police say they have turned away “a number of vehicles” including heavy trucks trying to cross Auckland’s alert level boundary for failing to produce evidence of a COVID-19 test in the past seven days.
They are reminding permitted workers intending to travel through the boundary checkpoints to ensure they carry evidence of a test since the new rule came into effect at 11.59pm on Thursday.
Some drivers did not have any evidence of having had a COVID-19 test in the past seven days, while a few drivers were turned away after providing records of tests they’d had from more than seven days ago, Police say.
Evidence of the test can include a text message, which will be automatically generated when the test is taken, or paper confirmation issued by the testing centres.
If a worker has had a medical examination instead of a test, they must have an electronic or paper copy of that medical certificate to show Police at the checkpoint.
Permitted workers must also continue to carry evidence for their reason for crossing the Alert level boundary, and photo identification.
“Police will continue to stop and check that permitted workers, including freight drivers, travelling through these checkpoints are able to provide this evidence,” Police say.
As of 11.59pm Thursday, a total of 149,309 vehicles have been stopped at the 10 checkpoints on Auckland’s northern and southern boundaries since 11.59pm on August 31.
A total of 1652 vehicles have been turned around during that time. Of a total 15,824 vehicles that were processed at the checkpoints on Thursday, 119 vehicles were turned around. A total of 40 vehicles were turned away at the Northern checkpoints while 79 vehicles were turned around at the Southern checkpoints.
*Update:
As of 11.59pm Sunday, a total of 180,339 vehicles have been stopped at the 10 checkpoints on Auckland’s northern and southern boundaries.
A total of 2286 vehicles have been turned around during this time.
At southern checkpoints a total of 1741 vehicles have been turned around. At northern checkpoints a total of 545 vehicles have been turned around since September 6th.
As at 11.59pm September 19, 1656 heavy vehicles have been stopped and 125 of them have been turned around attempting to leave Auckland.
