Queue outside New World Supermarket, Thorndon, Wellington, when New Zealand was at Covid-19 Alert Level 4

This photograph of a New World supermarket in Wellington was taken during the first Covid-19 pandemic lockdown when New Zealand was in Alert Level 4 (11.59pm on 25 March to 11.59pm on 27 April 2020). It was one of many scenes captured by Te Papa photographers who took their cameras with them when they went on local walks during lockdown.

During lockdown, non-essential businesses were closed. Supermarkets, grocery stores and dairies were allowed to stay open, but many saw large queues as two metre distancing rules were enforced.