New Zealand will move to level 3 of lockdown on Monday, April 27 at 11:59pm. Alert level 3 will be held for two weeks and then Cabinet will assess whether to move down another level.
KEY POINTS: • Minor extensions to bubbles • E-commerce reopens • Takeaway food and coffees available, as long as the business can take orders and payment through an app or online • Continue to work from home • Partial reopening of schools • Funerals, weddings limited to 10 people
The Prime Minister has revealed what life will be like in alert level 3 as New Zealand continues fighting to stamp out Covid-19.
But the Government won't announce whether we move down to level 3 next week until Monday.
New Zealand has recorded 1401 cases of coronavirus with 15 new cases announced today.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern uses hand sanitiser while arriving with Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield for their daily update. Photo / Pool
The country has been in an alert level 4 lockdown for three-and-a-half weeks and was initially expected to stay in lockdown until 11.59pm on Wednesday April 22.
Major restrictions will remain around hospitality businesses like restaurants and bars as well as retail stores.
But food deliveries and e-commerce could reopen, Ardern said, but face-to-face transactions will not be allowed.
"The main message remains stay home to save lives," Ardern said.
"It remains the most effective way to break the chain of transmission. At level 3 there are slightly more opportunities for you to come into contact with people outside your bubble. As a general rule of thumb, the goal of keeping two metres away from each other still applies.
"To eliminate Covid-19 will continue to take a team-of-five-million effort. Under lockdown we have shown our ability to put in place a virtual wall that has broken the chain of transmission. Our new line of defence when we reach level 3 is common sense, following the rules and trust in one another."
Ardern released more detailed data about each alert level that showed that alert level 3 would see people staying home in their bubble other than for essential personal movement – including to go to work, school if they have to or for local recreation.
BUSINESSES AND WORKPLACES
Work from home if you can, is the message from Ardern to employers.
Where that is not possible, businesses may reopen but must comply with health and safety requirements around physical distancing and contactless engagement with customers.
Businesses only accessed by the staff, and without a customer-facing function, such as building and construction or forestry can open under strict health and safety and physical distancing rules.
Businesses that are accessed by the public or customers such as retail, hardware stores and restaurants can open but only for online or phone purchases and contactless delivery or click and collect.
Keep your bubble but you can expand it "a small amount" at level 3, Ardern said.
People must stay within their immediate household bubble, but can expand this to reconnect with close family / whānau, or bring in caregivers, or support isolated people.
Sticking to existing bubbles is recommended but some expansion is allowed if, for example, you have a caregiver that you need, children in shared care, a defacto partner who is caring for others, or you're a single person who wants the company of a sibling for example. Keep it exclusive and keep it small.
Funerals and weddings will be able to go ahead, but limited to 10 people. But they can only be services. No meals, food or receptions can take place.
Public venues are closed (eg, libraries, museums, cinemas, food courts, gyms, pools, playgrounds, markets).
SCHOOLS
Early childhood education centres and schools will open for children up to and including Year 10, with appropriate public health measures in place. All young people in Years 11-13 will continue to learn at home.
Physical attendance at school is voluntary, but all children not at school should be learning by distance.
Schools will be a safe place for children to go to learn if their parents need to return to work, or the children cannot learn at a distance.
Children who are able to, should remain home and learn via distance.
Schools and early learning centres will be open in level 3, but if children can continue to learn from home they should. Photo / 123RF
Children at school would be kept in the same groups each day and it would be down to each school to work out how to do that, Ardern said.
Schools and ECEs will contact parents as they work through their plans for reopening.
Home-based early learning services can resume up to the maximum number of licensed children of four including the educator's own children, provided public health requirements are met.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like gloves and masks are not necessary for a school environment. Children, young people and staff who are at greater risk are encouraged to stay at home. Any child, young person or staff member who is sick should remain at home.
It will take at least a week for schools and early childhood centres to get ready to open after we go to alert Level 3.
New Zealand's biggest university will run all courses remotely until Semester 2 starts in July - regardless of the Covid-19 alert level - fearing moving in and out of different alert levels will be too disruptive.
University of Auckland vice-chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater told students last Thursday this would remain the case in alert level 3 or even in the unlikely event New Zealand moved quickly to alert level 2.
RECREATION
You can do activities that are local, which you can do safely, and which do not involve interacting with other people, or equipment touched by other people.
People will be able to do more recreational activities, including swimming and surfing. Photo / Alex Burton
You should go to your nearest beach or park, not your favourite one.
Boating and jetskis are still banned because they can be prone to breakdown.
But you can swim, surf, and fish from the shore.
But don't start a new activity that you haven't done before.
If there are signs of congregation, this rule will be reconsidered so Kiwis shouldn't consider it a time to catch-up with all their swimming buddies, Ardern said.
Staying overnight at a bach or holiday home is not permitted.
Healthcare services should use virtual, non-contact consultations where possible.
People at high risk of severe illness (older people and those with existing medical conditions) are encouraged to stay at home where possible, and take additional precautions when leaving home. They may choose to work.
Primary care will continue to be open, Allied Health and dentists will open.
TRAVEL
Travel restrictions remain but move from local to regional.
This recognises that more people will travel to work, or to take children to school. But to avoid taking potential Covid-19 cases to other parts of the country, restricting movement to what is necessary remains the goal.
Inter-regional travel is highly limited (for example for essential workers, with limited exemptions for others).
If you were in the wrong place when the restrictions came into place, and need to get home, you can now move throughout New Zealand to do so. You can only move once, and in one direction. New Zealanders can move to or from the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau once, and in one direction.
What Level 2 will look like
Ardern said level 3 was a waiting room or a recovery room, designed to restrict the spread of the virus.
Level 2 means that Covid-19 is contained, but the risk of community transmission remains.
Level 2 would see different restrictions including:
• Physical distancing of one metre outside home (including on public transport).
• Gatherings of up to 100 people indoors and 500 outdoors allowed while maintaining physical distancing and contact tracing requirements.
• Sport and recreation activities are allowed if conditions on gatherings are met, physical distancing is followed and travel is local.
• Public venues can open but must comply with conditions on gatherings, and undertake public health measures.
• Health services operate as normally as possible.
• Most businesses open, and business premises can be open for staff and customers with appropriate measures in place. Alternative ways of working encouraged (eg, remote working, shift-based working, physical distancing, staggering meal breaks, flexible leave).
• Schools and early childhood education centres open, with distance learning available for those unable to attend school (eg, self-isolating).
• People advised to avoid non-essential inter-regional travel.
• People at high risk of severe illness (older people and those with existing medical conditions) are encouraged to stay at home where possible, and take additional precautions when leaving home. They may choose to work.
What Level 1 will look like
Alert level 1 is when Covid-19 is contained and New Zealand is prepared for an outbreak.
Restrictions under alert level 1 include:
• Border entry measures to minimise risk of importing Covid-19 cases.
