If you are unwell
- If you are sick, stay home. Do not go to work or school. Do not socialise.
- If you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms call your doctor or Healthline on 0800 358 5453 and get advice about being tested.
- If you have been told to self-isolate you legally must do so immediately.
Get tested if you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms — tests are free
Self-isolation, quarantine and testing
If you get a COVID-19 test, your medical professional will advise you on whether you need to self-isolate while awaiting the test result. You should always stay home if you are feeling unwell.
Guidance on self-isolation at home(external link)
Maintain good hygiene
It is important that you use basic hygiene measures, including washing your hands, coughing or sneezing into your elbow and cleaning surfaces.
How to practise good hygiene and stay healthy
When to wear a face covering
At Alert Level 3, the risk of COVID-19 being present in the community is higher.
You legally must wear a face covering:
- on public transport
- on domestic flights
- if you are a taxi or ride-share driver. While it is not compulsory for passengers to wear them, we strongly encourage you to.
You are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering when you are outside your home and in a place where it is hard to keep your distance from other people.
Face covering advice and requirements
Keep track of where you have been
Everyone over the age of 12 legally must keep a record of where they have been when visiting certain places so contact tracing can happen quickly. You must do this at all Alert Levels.
This requirement will come into effect 7 days after the next Alert Level change. This will provide businesses and other locations time to put record keeping systems and processes in place.
Keep track of where you have been at all Alert Levels
Use the NZ COVID Tracer app if you can. This helps with rapid contact tracing if it is required.
At all Alert Levels, businesses legally must display the NZ COVID Tracer QR code poster.
Get your NZ COVID Tracer QR code poster
Travel and personal movement
At Alert Level 3, you legally must stay within your household bubble whenever you are not at work or school. You can expand this to:
- connect with close family and whānau
- bring in caregivers, or
- support isolated people.
It is important to protect your bubble. Keep your bubble exclusive and only include people where it will keep you and them safe and healthy. If anyone within your bubble feels unwell, they legally must immediately self-isolate from everyone else within the bubble.
Physical distancing
Keep your distance when outside your home.
You should keep a distance of at least:
- 2 metres in public and retail stores, like supermarkets
- 1 metre in controlled environments, like workplaces and schools.
Maintaining physical distancing
You can travel locally
You can travel within your local area, for example going to work or school, shopping, or getting exercise. Your local area means the area near your home that you regularly visit for essential services. What is considered local will differ depending on where you live. City dwellers may have a supermarket or dairy close by. If you live rurally, you may need to take a drive to reach these.
Public transport can continue to operate with strict health and safety requirements.
Travel between regions is restricted
At Alert Level 3 travel between regions is heavily restricted.
If there is an Alert Level 3 boundary, we will publish information on this website about which travel is permitted.
Gatherings and events
Gatherings of up to 10 people can go ahead, but only for:
- wedding and civil union ceremonies
- funerals and tangihanga.
Physical distancing and public health measures legally must be maintained.
- Public events and entertainment
- Cafes, bars, restaurants and night clubs
- Funerals and tangihanga
- Meeting friends and whānau
Public venues
Public venues legally must close at Alert Level 3. This includes libraries, museums, cinemas, food courts, gyms, pools, playgrounds and markets.
Exercise, sport and recreation
Now is not the time to take up new activities, or expose yourself or your bubble to any risk. You can do low-risk recreation activities in your local area.
How to exercise and do recreational activities safely at Alert Level 3
Workplaces and businesses
At Alert Level 3, there are restrictions to keep workers safe, limit interaction with customers and help prevent the spread of COVID-19. We recommend staff working from home if they can.
How to do business at Alert Level 3
Golden rules for business at Alert Level 3
- If your business requires close physical contact it cannot operate.
- We recommend your staff work from home if they can.
- Businesses need to display a QR code and have an alternative contact tracing system. We recommend making sure people either scan in or provide their contact details.
- Customers cannot come onto your premises — unless you are a supermarket, dairy, butcher, fishmonger, greengrocer, petrol station, pharmacy or permitted health service.
- Your business legally must be contactless. Your customers can pay online, over the phone or in a contactless way. Delivery or pick-up legally must also be contactless.
- Basic hygiene measures legally must be maintained. Physical distancing, hand washing and regularly cleaning surfaces. Workers legally must stay home if they are sick.
- Staff legally must remain a minimum of 1 metre apart at all times where practical. Other measures, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) including face coverings, we recommend being used where appropriate.
- Different advice applies to essential healthcare workers, border agencies, courts and tribunal staff, first responders and corrections staff. You can get further advice from the Ministry of Health(external link).
- You legally must meet all other health and safety obligations.
Travelling in or out of an Alert Level 3 area for business
Travel across Alert Level boundaries is strictly limited to stop the spread of the virus. You may need to seek additional permission to complete travel across Alert Level areas.
If there is an Alert Level boundary, we will publish information on this website about which travel is permitted.
Resources for business
You can order free printed resources through our website to help your workplace or business operate safely.
Financial support
If you are having trouble with money, there may be support for you.
Education
Children and young people should learn from home at Alert Level 3.
Any child who does not have supervision at home from an appropriate person can attend their service or school.
At-risk people
People are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 if they are older or have an underlying medical condition. We recommend people at higher risk stay at home other than for essential personal movement at Alert Level 3.
For more information, visit https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-levels-and-updates/alert-level-3/
