Nation steps up to COVID-19 Alert Level 2

21 March 2020

• Four stage Alert System for COVID-19 announced
• New Zealand moved up to COVID-19 Alert Level 2 – Reduce Contact
• New Zealanders over 70 and those with certain medical condition told to stay at home as much as they can to reduce risk of contact with the virus
• Work places to implement plans to reduce person-to-person contact, including work from home where possible
• Limit all non-essential domestic travel

New Zealand has been moved up to COVID-19 Alert Level 2, Reduce Contact, in an escalation of efforts to reduce the spread of the virus in New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today.

“Protecting New Zealanders from the virus is our number one objective, and we must take decisive action to prevent the worst occurring here,” Jacinda Ardern said.

“New Zealand is fighting an unprecedented global pandemic. We must fight by going hard and going early with new measures to slow the transmission of the virus.

“Today I am announcing a four stage COVID-19 Alert Level system, with escalating restrictions on human contact, travel and business operations.

“The international situation is changing rapidly and we need to clearly sign-post the changes New Zealanders will be asked to make as we step up our efforts to limit the spread of the virus. The alert system means people can see and plan for the kinds of restrictions we may be required to put in place, which may be required rapidly.

“Based on expert medical advice and international evidence I am moving New Zealand to Alert Level 2, Reduce Contact. This will have a significant disruption on how we go about our daily lives, but it is necessary to protect lives.

“People over 70 years of age, or people who are immunocompromised or have certain pre-existing conditions, need to stay at home as much as they can from now on.

“I’m asking everyone to support our older New Zealanders by doing things like keeping in contact with them and dropping off food or other supplies.

“I am also asking businesses and workplaces to play their part. Many workplaces already have plans for staff to work from home or to distance themselves in the workplace. We are now asking you to put those plans in place.

“Health and emergency professionals, transport and delivery staff, supermarket and food production workers, and other essential people will be continuing on at their place of work at this alert level.

“It’s also important to note that every alert level supermarkets around New Zealand will remain open.

“We are also asking New Zealanders to limit all non-essential domestic travel. We need people to significantly reduce the number of interactions they have at this time and that includes visiting people in different parts of the country for non-essential reasons.

“These measures are being taken in the national interest. We know people, business, and sports events will be impacted, but these are short-term disruptions for the overall health of our people and country.

“I know many New Zealanders are anxious. The alert system is designed to offer certainty around future action and the ability for people to plan and prepare for any future eventuality. Please be strong, be kind, and unite against COVID-19,” Jacinda Ardern said.

Media contact:
Andrew Campbell
+64 21 243 8573
andrew.cambpell@parliament.govt.nz

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's address to New Zealand

Kia ora koutou katoa

I’m speaking directly to all New Zealanders today to give as much certainty and clarity as we fight Covid-19.

Over the past few weeks, the world has changed. And it has changed very quickly. In February it would have seemed unimaginable to close New Zealand’s borders to the world, and now it has been an obvious step as we fight COVID-19.

That is because we are experiencing an unprecedented event – a global pandemic that in New Zealand, we have moved to fight by going hard, and going early.

I understand that all of this rapid change creates anxiety, and uncertainty. Especially when it means changing how we live. That’s why today I am going to set out for you as clearly as possible, what you can expect as we continue to fight the virus together.

The first really important thing to remember, is that the vast majority of people who will ever have COVID 19 will only experience mild to moderate symptoms. In fact, all of our cases in New Zealand so far, only four have needed to go to our hospitals and that has been because they were older people, or because they had other health conditions.

That’s why we have to focus on one simple goal – toslow down Covid 19.

Slowing it down, means not having one big tidal wave of cases, but instead, smaller waves. That means we reduce the impact on health, on jobs and on our economy. Some countries have successfully managed to do this –but it does mean we have to be ready to step up our action when we need to.

But how will we know what to do and when?

Already in New Zealand we have warning systems to try and get ahead of problems and hazards. We all know and recognise signs that tell us when we have fire risk. Or when to change the way we use water.

Today I am announcing an alert system for COVID-19. That alert system can apply to the whole country, but sometimes, it may only apply to certain towns or cities.

There are four levels to the alert system. At each level there are things we need you to do, to keep you safe.

· Alert Level One is where COVID-19 is here, but contained. In this phase we prepare.The basics, like border measures, contact tracing, and cancelling mass gatherings are activated. You’ll see that this is where we have been when COVID first arrived in New Zealand.

· Alert Level Two is where the disease is contained but the risks are growing because we have more cases. This is when we move to reduce our contact with one another. We increase our border measures, and we cancel events. This is also the level where we ask people to work differently if they can, and cancel unnecessary travel.

· Alert Level Three is where the disease is increasingly difficult to contain. This is where we restrict our contact by stepping things up again. We close public venues and ask non-essential businesses to close.

· Alert Level Four is where we have sustained transmission. This is where we eliminate contact with each other altogether. We keep essential services going but ask everyone to stay at home until COVID-19 is back under control.

It’s important to note, that at every alert level supermarkets and essential services, will continue to operate.

We will use this alert system every time we update our cases, so you’ll know if the status in your area has gone up, or down, or stayed the same. And what you’ll need to do.

Today I am confirming that New Zealand is at alert level two.

That means the risk of community transmission is growing, and so to stay ahead and reduce the chances of the wave growing, we need to step things up.

We already have many of the measures for level two in place. But there are some that are new.

Here are the things that we need from you:

Today we are asking people over 70 years of age, or people who are immunocompromised or have underlying respiratory conditions to stay at home as much as they can.

That means we need friends, family and neighbours to support our older New Zealanders and people who may be in this group by doing simple things like keeping in contact and dropping off food or other supplies. And when you do, make sure you are not sick, that you are using good handwashing practices, and keeping your distance.

We also need everyone to start working differently. Many offices have plans for workers to work from home. Others have staggered meal breaks or shift based working. We are now asking you to implement these plans.

We know not everyone can do this. We need and will continue to have health and emergency professionals, transport and delivery staff, supermarket and food production workers, and other essential people continuing on at their place of work. And there are some sectors where work from home is impossible. There are steps these workplaces should take all the same, like additional cleaning, and physical distancing as much as possible.

And finally, we are asking that you limit your movement around the country. This will help us track and contain any spread of COVID-19. That means cutting non-essential domestic travel.

Every unnecessary movement gives COVID-19 a chance to spread.

For those of you who are parents or caregivers, you will have questions about schools and education facilities. At alert level two, schools will be closed if there is a case that effects a school, as we have been doing to date. That may change if we move into higher alert levels. Sending children home at this stage, doesn’t necessarily reduce transmission in the community, but I can assure you we are constantly monitoring these settings.

Finally, this is a time when I know people will want as much information as possible. It’s also a time when there is plenty of mis-information. All the advice from the government about COVID-19 and how it affects you is available atwww.covid19.govt.nz including more detailed guidance on this announcement.

Till then, I know this current situations is causing huge disruption and uncertainty. And right now I cannot tell you when that will end. This alert system is designed to help us through that – so please do stay tuned as we share daily updates – especially as alert levels can move from one level to the next in a short space of time, as we have seen elsewhere in the world.

For now, I ask that New Zealand does what we do so well. We are a country that is creative, practical, and community minded. We may not have experienced anything like this in our lifetimes, but we know how to rally and we know how to look after one another, and right now what could be more important than that. So thank you for all that you’re about to do.

Please be strong, be kind, and unite against COVID-19