Last night, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that Auckland was moving to Alert Level 3 with the rest of the country moving to Alert Level 2 from midnight, Sunday February 14 for at least 72 hours.
Here’s a reminder of what you need to do to unite against COVID-19.
Alert Level 3
Everyday life
Stay home if you can to avoid any risk of spread. You must work from home unless you’re not able to. Children should learn at home if possible.
If you are unwell
- If you’re sick, stay home. Don’t go to work or school. Don’t socialise.
- If you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms call your doctor or Healthline and get advice about being tested.
- If you have been told to self-isolate you legally must do so immediately.
Get tested if you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms. Tests are free
If you get a COVID-19 test, you legally must stay home in self-isolation until you receive your results.
Good hygiene
It’s important that you use basic hygiene measures, including washing your hands, coughing or sneezing into your elbow and cleaning surfaces.
Keep track of where you’ve been
We recommend you keep track of where you’ve been and who you’ve seen. This helps with rapid contact tracing if it’s required.
How to keep track of where you’ve been
Personal movement
At Alert Level 3, 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.
Physical distancing
Keep your distance when outside your home.
You should keep a distance of at least:
- 2 metres in public and retail stores, like supermarkets
- 1 metre in controlled environments, like workplaces and schools.
Face coverings
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.
Local travel
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
At Alert Level 3 travel between regions is heavily restricted.
Gatherings and events
Gatherings of up to 10 people can continue, but only for:
- wedding services
- funerals and tangihanga.
Physical distancing and public health measures legally must be maintained.
- Gatherings and events at Alert Level 3
- Funerals and tangihanga at Alert Level 3
- Religious communities at Alert Level 3
Public venues
Public venues legally must close. This includes libraries, museums, cinemas, food courts, gyms, pools, playgrounds and markets.
Exercise and recreation
Now is not the time to take up new activities, or expose yourself or your bubble to any risk. You can do low-risk recreation activities in your local area.
How to exercise and do recreational activities safely at Alert Level 3
Alert Level 2
Everyday life
At Alert Level 2, you can go to work and school, but should follow public health measures and consider others around you.
If you are unwell
- If you’re sick, stay home. Do not go to work or school. Do not socialise.
- If you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms, call your doctor or Healthline and get advice about being tested.
- If you have been told to self-isolate you legally must do so immediately.
Get tested if you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms. Tests are free
Good hygiene
As for Level 3.
Keep track of where you’ve been
As for Level 3.
Personal movement
At Alert Level 2, you can leave home, but you should follow public health measures and consider others around you.
Physical distancing
As Level 3.
Face coverings
At Alert Level 2 the risk of COVID-19 being present in the community is higher.
You:
- legally must wear a face covering on public transport and aircraft
- are encouraged to wear face coverings in situations where physical distancing is not possible, like in shops.
Local travel
You can travel, but make sure you do it in a safe way.
You should not travel if you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms, are awaiting a test or if you need to self-isolate.
Gatherings and events
No more than 100 people at social gatherings, including weddings, birthdays, funerals and tangihanga.
There are specific restrictions at Alert Level 2 depending on the type of gathering:
- Gatherings, event facilities and public facilities
- Eating out and getting takeaways safely
- Going out to bars and night clubs
- Funerals and tangihanga
- Religious communities
Exercise, sport and recreation
You can do your usual exercise and recreation activities, if you can do them safely.
Professional leagues can go ahead at Alert Level 2 because they take place in controlled workplaces.
You can get all the information you need at the official Government COVID-19 website.
