Alert Level 2 will see significantly more activity open up across the country requiring New Zealanders to play it safe and remain vigilant so the virus doesn’t bounce back, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced.
On Monday, May 11, the Government will make a decision on whether to move to Level 2.
Among the changes at Level 2 are:
- Businesses can restart for staff and customers
- Bubbles can cease
- Domestic travel recommences
- Schools and early learning centres can open
- Gatherings both indoors and outdoors are limited to 100 people
- Public places reopen
- Sport and recreation comes back on-stream, including professional sports competitions
- Home gatherings must be kept small
- Hospitality must follow the three S’s – seated, separated, single-server
“Level 2 is a safer normal designed to get as many people back to work as possible and the economy back up and running in a safe way, made possible only by our collective actions at Levels 4 and 3 to beat the virus and break the chain of transmission,” says Ms Ardern.
“We need to balance the risk of the virus bouncing back against the strong desire to get the economy moving again.
“We will continue to act with caution and not move before it is safe to do, so entry into Level 2 could be phased, with higher risk activity occurring when there is stronger evidence it is safe to do so,” Ms Ardern says.
Sports and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson has provided more detail on how professional sports will resume.