While the Ministry of Health and public health specialists have emphasised the importance of continuing to wear masks to help reduce transmission of Covid-19, mask wearing has become increasingly patchy around Wānaka’s CBD.

New Zealand is currently in the Orange setting, which means people must wear a mask inside retail and hospitality businesses and publicly-owned venues - unless they have an exemption. 

Wānaka café owner Chris Hadfield said he has noticed a decrease in people wearing masks over the past three weeks or so, which he put down to complacency and confusion over what is required.

In addition, Chris said, overseas tourists “have come from a place where masks are not expected anywhere” and it seems many of them were not advised that some New Zealand settings require masks.

Ignite Wānaka chair Jo Learmonth said the reduction in mask use could be attributed to mixed messages about where and when they are required.

“There appears to be some inconsistency between businesses around the messaging of whether masks are required or not and so potentially confusion is creating reduced compliance,” she said.

“Ignite encourages our local businesses to continue with the Covid protection measures and assist the community get through this difficult time.”

Ritual Café has signage asking people to wear masks but Chris said he doesn’t want to have to ask them verbally if they don’t follow the instructions.

“We don’t want to put them off because we need every dollar we can get,” he said.

One of Chris’s staff said Australians visitors “have all been lovely and understanding when asked or reminded” about masks.

“They mostly don’t have them to put on, but those that do, do. Or go and get them. Or say thank you, that they’ll make sure they have them next time, and they have been very good about distancing,” she said.

Foodstuffs NZ (owner of New World and Four Square supermarkets) head of public relations Emma Wooster said while it is still mandatory for its team members and customers to wear masks while shopping at the supermarkets, they expect customers to take personal responsibility and do the right thing.

“Everyone is over it,” a local retail worker told the Wānaka App.

Just days ago Well South warned people to prepare for the second wave of Covid-19. 

The Southern region currently has 5,088 active cases of the virus. Nine hundred and ten cases were reported in the past 24 hours. 

One hundred and thirty one people have died with Covid-19 in the Southern region to date, eight of them yesterday (Wednesday July 13).

Radio NZ reported yesterday that there were 729 people in hospital with Covid-19, a number which had climbed sharply.

PHOTO: Wānaka App