The latest BNZ-BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index fell to 40.1 in August, down from 62.2 in July.
Sites have been set up near border crossings for workers to pick up and drop off saliva tests.
Government's infrastructure fund for housing has attracted $5 billion in funding requests primarily from local authorities.
This gives the Reserve Bank, which was already eyeing a rate hike, even more reason to hit the economic brakes in October.