Abstract
In light of the Covid‐19 pandemic in New Zealand, physical safety and infection control are now the priorities for acute inpatient units. Across the board, the milieu of wards has altered, with seeking to preserve bed spaces admission criteria has become stricter and patients are being fast tracked out of inpatient care with less time to transition back into the community. In order to restrict opportunities for transmission of Covid 19 between patients and the public, wards which previously were unlocked during the day are now locked at all times without use of mental health legislation. Leave from wards has become more difficult to acquire and visitors are not allowed to come into hospitals.