Auckland will go into alert level 3 lockdown for seven days from 6am tomorrow morning.
New Zealanders are coming to grips with another change in Covid-19 alert levels - as Auckland returns to level 3 lockdown.
Auckland residents will need to observe level 3 rules from 6am on Sunday, February 28. The rest of New Zealand is at level 2.
Here's a reminder of what you can and can't do in alert levels 3 in the City of Sails and level 2 for the rest of the country.
If you are sick or have flu-like symptoms:
No matter what alert level, anyone with flu-like symptoms is told to stay home and call their family doctor or Healthline on 0800 611 116 to get tested.
For those in Auckland, that means a sudden change to restrict movements around everyday life - mainly staying home, working from home if possible and for children, staying home from school.
Only those students whose parents are essential workers are okay to go to school still, if need be.
People are urged to stick to their household bubble during this time and family and friends are not to socialise or enter other people's homes.
Public facilities including food courts, gyms, libraries, museums and cinemas are now closed - and even the playground at the local park is now officially off limits.
Events such as wedding ceremonies and funerals are now restricted to a maximum of 10 people.
No new criminal jury trials will start in the High Court at Auckland, or Auckland and Manukau District Courts while the city is in level 3.
Jury trials under way would be suspended until the alert level was lowered unless the jury trial had already reached the deliberation stage, New Zealand's Chief Justice Dame Helen Winkelmann announced.
Trials due to be heard in the rest of the country will continue as scheduled, provided they can be accommodated safely in accordance with level 2 restrictions.
In alert level 3, travel is restricted. You can only travel within your local area for essential purposes such as going to work, to school or to do shopping.
You can also still travel locally to get exercise.
Anyone travelling on public transport must wear a mask or face covering of some sort.
If you do not have access to a mask, fashion one out of a piece of cloth at home or a scarf.
FACEMASK
Wearing a mask is especially important if you cannot physically keep a 2-metre distance while out in public at retail stores or supermarkets, for example.
For the rest of New Zealand, alert level 2 is not as heavy-handed - but there are still restrictions to be aware of.
Those outside Auckland can go to work and school, but should follow public health measures put in place at these respective sites.
Events such as weddings and funerals are allowed to have a maximum of 100 people in alert level 2.
Social gatherings are also allowed to go ahead again and you can welcome family, friends and guests into your home.
Public facilities, workplaces and retail stores can stay open - but people are encouraged to physically distance themselves at least a metre from others.
There will be restrictions at places such as hospitals, which may have a limit on visitor numbers, for example.
The Capital & Coast District Health Board urged people that under alert level 2, you can still attend health appointments and seek treatment when needed.
"When you arrive at hospital, you will be asked to provide your contact details and let us know if you have been feeling unwell."
A total of two people could visit inpatients at hospital facilities, a statement on its Facebook page said, and one person could support a woman giving birth.
Level 3 rules
• You legally must stay within your household bubble whenever you're not at work or school. You can expand this to connect with close family and whānau, bring in caregivers, or support isolated people. It's important to protect your bubble. Keep your bubble exclusive and only include people where it will keep you and them safe and healthy. If anyone within your bubble feels unwell, they legally must immediately self-isolate from everyone else within the bubble.
• Do not invite or allow social visitors, such as friends, extended family and whānau, to enter your home.
• Gatherings of up to 10 people can continue, but only for wedding services, funerals and tangihanga.
• Public venues legally must close. This includes libraries, museums, cinemas, food courts, gyms, pools, playgrounds and markets.
• Where possible, the Ministry of Health encourages students to learn from home. Schools can safely open but will have limited capacity.
• You can travel within your local area, for example going to work or school, shopping, or getting exercise. Public transport can continue to operate with strict health and safety requirements.
• Travel between regions is heavily restricted.
• You should keep a distance of at least 2 metres in public and retail stores, like supermarkets and 1 metre in controlled environments, like workplaces and schools.
• You're strongly encouraged to wear a face covering when you're outside your home and in a place where it's hard to stay 2 metres away from other people, like in shops. You legally must wear a face covering on public transport.
• If your business requires close physical contact, it can't operate.
• The Ministry of Health recommends your staff work from home if they can.
• Businesses need to display a QR code and have an alternative contact tracing system.
• The ministry recommends making sure people either scan in or provide their contact details.
• Customers cannot come on to your premises — unless you are a supermarket, dairy, butcher, fishmonger, greengrocer, petrol station, pharmacy or permitted health service.
• Your business legally must be contactless. Your customers can pay online, over the phone or in a contactless way. Delivery or pick-up legally must also be contactless.
• Basic hygiene measures legally must be maintained. Physical distancing, hand washing and regularly cleaning surfaces. Workers legally must stay home if they are sick.
• Staff legally must remain a minimum of 1 metre apart at all times where practical. The ministry recommends other measures, such as PPE including face coverings, being used where appropriate.
• Different advice applies to essential healthcare workers, border agencies, courts and tribunal staff, first responders and Corrections staff. You can get further advice from the Ministry of Health.
• You legally must meet all other health and safety obligations.
Level 2 rules
• No more than 100 people at social gatherings, including weddings, birthdays, funerals and tangihanga.
• Businesses can open, but they legally must follow public health rules. These include physical distancing and record keeping.
