November 8 2021
Auckland will move to step 2 of alert level 3 at 11:59pm tomorrow. On Northland, the upper region will move alert level 2 at 11:59pm on Thursday.
Retail therapy, a trip to the zoo and gatherings of up to 25 people are all on the cards from Wednesday, after Auckland moves to step 2 of alert level 3 at midnight on Tuesday.
This afternoon Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed Auckland's shift to level 3.2, as first dose vaccination rates reach 90 per cent across all three Auckland district health boards.
Here's what you can do at step 2.
• Retail businesses can open, but customers must be socially distanced by 2 metres. All staff and customers must be wearing face coverings.
• Public facilities including libraries, museums and zoos can reopen but only with social distancing and face coverings.
• Outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people can go ahead, doing away with the two-household restriction, but physical distancing is strongly encouraged.
• Funerals, tangihanga, weddings and civil union ceremonies can have up to 25 people attending, as well as up to five staff.
• Outdoor organised exercise classes, like yoga and bootcamps, can expand to 25 people, including instructors. Physical distancing is strongly encouraged.
However, many step 1 restrictions persist under step 2.
Pools, leisure centres, gymnasiums and clubrooms will remain closed.
Non-contact sports including golf, tennis, bowls, cycling and horse riding can be participated in, so long as it does not exceed 25 people at a time and all are socially distanced.
Golfers can get back on the course under step 2. New Zealand's Daniel Hillier is seen here playing in Spain. Photo / Getty Images
Contact sports like rugby, football, hockey and judo cannot go ahead.
Bars, restaurants and cafes will remain takeaway only, and they can only open up to 50 people under step 3. Food courts in malls can open, but food must be taken away before being consumed.
Close-contact businesses, like hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons are still not able to operate until step 3.
Ardern also announced this afternoon that Upper Northland would move back to level 2 from 11:59pm on Thursday.
Parts of Waikato are in step 2 of alert level 3 and any transition to step 1 or alert level 2 will be decided next Monday.
