Waikato remains at Alert Level 3 for now, but will move to Step 1 at 11:59pm on Wednesday 27 October 2021. Some Alert Level 3 restrictions have been eased to allow friends and whānau to reconnect outdoors.
This was announced by Chris Hipkins, Minister for COVID-19 Response at a press conference this afternoon.
Auckland remains at Step 1 , and settings for both Auckland and parts of Waikato will be reviewed on 1 November 2021.
The air and road boundaries between Auckland, Waikato and the rest of the New Zealand remain in place.
Easing of restrictions under Alert Level 3 will allow friends and whānau to reconnect with each other and start to enjoy recreation, outings, and shopping at safe limits.
Under Step 1:
- You can invite people from another household over for dinner in your backyard, but they cannot enter your house or use indoor facilities
- Children can have play mates with 1 other household at a time — as long it is outside and they do not go inside or use indoor facilities
- You can meet close friends and whānau from 1 other household at the park for a picnic or BBQ. You cannot travel in the same vehicle as people from the other household
- There is no change in opening of school or offices, and you should continue to work or study from home, if you can
- Early learning centres can reopen to all children, with a maximum of 10 children in each bubble
- There is no changes to the reasons for personal or business travel
- You can now have a face-to-face appointment with healthcare providers such as physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths
- You can travel throughout the region you are in for day trips to do an expanded range of outdoor recreation activities. A maximum of 2 households can gather, with a limit of 10 people. You must maintain 2 metre physical distancing
- There are no changes to the reasons for personal and business travel
At Alert Level 3, you must continue to wear a face covering at certain places, and to keep 2 metres away from people who are not in your bubble.
Activities that cannot go ahead:
- Gyms and indoor recreation facilities cannot open
- Businesses must still be contactless, so close-contact businesses such as hairdressers and barbers cannot operate or visit your home, including your backyard
- Dentists remain closed except for emergency or urgent care
- Most team sports, such as basketball or volleyball, cannot go ahead, etc
At Alert Level 3, you must continue to wear a face covering at certain places, and to keep 2 metres away from people who are not in your bubble.
