By Contributor - February 15, 2021 The latest restrictions, expected to last at least through Wednesday, have ended six lockdown-free months for New Zealandâs largest city. Aucklandâs CBD as seen from Hauraki Gulf. (Photo: Matthew Buchanan/Unsplash) New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a snap three-day lockdown yesterday for Auckland after three unexplained community cases of Covid-19 were reported in the southern suburb of Papatoetoe. The stay-at-home order took effect at 11:59 p.m. last night, just hours after Ardern held a 7 p.m. press conference in which she told journalists that alert levels would be reviewed every 24 hours and asked New Zealanders âto be strong and kind,â saying, âwe have been here before and that means we know how to get out of this again, and that is together.â