Alert Level 3 Covid 19 restrictions have kicked in with health officials confident New Zealand is now in the right place to relax the rules.
Around 400,000 more people are expected to return to work - with many workplaces reopening under strict social distancing requirements.
People can now expand their social circle - slightly - to include close family members or caregivers.
But the battle's not over - New Zealanders are being warned they must still stay home as much as possible.
RNZ's deputy politcal editor Craig McCulloch reports.
