The cafes are closed and the shops are shut - and experts say it could stay that way in Auckland for some time yet.
Today, Cabinet will decide whether the city remains at level four after midnight on Tuesday and the whether the rest of the country will go back to level one.
Covid-19 case numbers have spiked and plateaued after a promising downward trend and officials are warning at least another 50 cases could emerge.
After almost four weeks at alert level four, businesses in the hospitality and retail sectors are really feeling the pinch, and they say more creative thinking - and more specific support for the city - is needed.
RNZ reporter Sarah Robson has the story.
