Wellington, April 16 (IANS): A lower alert level will see significant restrictions on New Zealanders' movements retained, but will permit aspects of the economy to reopen "in a safe way", Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern explained on Thursday as the country reached a four-week milestone of COVID-19 national lockdown next week.
At a press conference on Thursday, Ardern explained details of what life and business activities look like under Alert Level 3, reports Xinhua news agency.
The country entered a four-week lockdown, or epidemic response Alert Level 4, from midnight March 25.
The government will decide on April 20 whether to ease the Alert Level 4 restrictions before the lockdown period ends on April 22.
Meanwhile, New Zealand reported six new confirmed and nine new probable cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the total number of confirmed and probable infections to 1,401 in the country.
At the press conference, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said there have been no further deaths reported. Nine people have died of COVID-19 in New Zealand so far.
Currently, 12 people are in hospital, with three in ICU, including two in a critical condition.
A total of 770 people had recovered, Bloomfield said.
"There are promising signs our go hard and go early elimination strategy is working and the lockdown is breaking the chain of community transmission. Any move to Level 3 cannot put those gains at risk," Ardern said.
"By design, Level 3 is a progression, not a rush to normality. It carries forward many of the restrictions in place at Level 4, including the requirement to mainly be at home in your bubble and to limit contact with others," she said.
"Importantly the test for a business opening at Level 3 moves to it being safe, rather than being essential."
Some people can return to work and business reopens if safe by observing physical distancing and contactless engagement with customers. People must work from home if they can, she said, adding retail and restaurants can open but only for online or phone purchases and contactless delivery.
Early childhood centres and schools will be available up to class 10 only, but attendance is purely voluntary.
For children who are able, distance learning is still the best option. Tertiary education will mostly be through distance learning, the Prime Minister said.
Funerals and weddings attended by less than 10 people will be allowed, without providing food, she said.