New Zealand will move to alert level 3 at 11:59pm Monday April 27, where the country will stay until at least May 11, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced.
She said whilst shifting levels would not change much socially, it would be a vital boost for businesses after the Anzac Day holiday when she expected at least 400,000 more people to return to work.
The Prime Minister said given our country's low number of deaths, she was one of the few world leaders to receive a phone call every time someone passed away with Covid-19.
She said she was proud New Zealand's "team of five million" had made a quantum leap forward in eliminating the virus.
The Prime Minister said two more business days in lockdown gave New Zealand a better chance of beating the virus and not regressing to level 4.
She said businesses would be permitted to prepare to open next week as long as staff practiced social distancing.
And whilst schools and early childhood centres can reopen from Wednesday April 29, Jacinda Ardern stressed most people and children should still stay home.
