Auckland, April 30, 2020
New Zealand has been at Alert Level Three since 1159 pm on Monday, April 27, 2020.
New Zealand’s Covid-19 Alert Levels outline the public health and social measure to be taken, depending on how a public health assessment of the virus in New Zealand.
The alert system can help people see and plan for the kinds of restrictions we need to adhere to in each stage, such as closing schools and limiting travel.
The Alert Levels
The four Alert Levels are: Level 1: Prepare; Level 2: Reduce Contact 3: Level 3: Restrict Level 4: Eliminate.
At midnight on Monday 27 April, we moved into Level 3 after 33 days of lockdown at Level 4.
At Level 3, the risk still remains and our goal is to restrict contact with one another as much as possible.
Staying at home is still the most effective way to break the chain of transmission and save lives.
Moving to Level 3 has permitted some aspects of the economy to reopen in a safe way that will allow the economic recovery to begin.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced that our Government will review the Alert Level again after two weeks on May 11, 2020.
Combined effort
We must all remember that our actions to go hard and early put us in a good position.
What we are doing is working and the numbers speak for themselves.
Our shared actions have saved many lives.
Now is the time to lock in the hard-won gains and not allow the deadly virus to bounce back.
We need to keep on top of Covid-19 as we start rebooting economic activity.
We can be very proud as New Zealanders that we were able to prevent the wave of devastation seen elsewhere in the world and that we took decisive action judged to be the best for us as a country.
Because of this hard work from all New Zealanders, we are in a good position to eliminate the virus.
Our aim is to do it once and do it right. We are continuing to ramp up our testing capacity to help stay on top of the virus and keep our nation safe.
About Alert Level 3
Let us have a closer look at what Level 3 will look like.
Many things will remain the same while the key differences are that you can expand your bubble a little.
Level 3 is a progression, not a rush to normality.
Many things will remain the same.
Work and essential services – You must continue to work from home if you can. If you cannot, you can return to your place of work only if it can comply with the health and safety expectations in the same way that businesses operating at Level 4 did.
400,000 more New Zealanders are expected to have returned to work in key sectors such as construction, manufacturing and forestry.
Businesses still closed
Food delivery, drive through, online shopping and options such as click and collect shopping are in operation while bars, restaurants and cafes along with malls and retail stores will still remain closed.
Businesses that offer face to face services such as hairdressers, massage, house cleaning and door to door salespeople are not allowed to operate.
However, tradespeople that offer in-home services who do repairs and installations that can keep two meters separation from the household, can offer their services.
Education – a partial reopening of education up to year ten will occur, but initially this is just for the children of essential workers. My own children are staying at home and enjoying the distance learning resources supplied by their schools.
Gatherings – Funerals and weddings will be able to go ahead with limited attendance of up to 10 people. Services are permitted to be held but no meals, food or receptions are permitted.
Travel restrictions remain in place. Only essential travel within your region is permitted.
A general approach of keeping two meters away from each other still applies, be it in a workplace or education facility.
I want to briefly cover how Level 3 apply to seniors who are over 70 and those who are at a higher risk.
Small extension of Bubble
Under Alert Level 3, seniors can extend their “bubble” carefully by letting in a close family member or caregiver into their home. This can only be someone from within the same region, and it must be ‘exclusive’ meaning that the other person cannot make further increases to their bubble either. People can go to a local beach or park for fresh air and exercise using common sense and maintaining distancing. You can shop for essential services such as going to the chemist or supermarket and take children to school if you are caregivers in the same bubble.
Generally speaking, the same restrictions apply to Seniors as other people, but we ask that you take extra care.
I hope that you are all safe in your bubbles. We have made so much progress together to stamp out Covid. We cannot be complacent; now is the time to finish the job so that we can transition back to a more normal way of life again.
Michael Wood is elected Member of Parliament from Mount Roskill and Senior Government Whip.
