It is a significant change from last month, when Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern asked only the most vulnerable people to stay at home while the country was at alert level 2.
New Zealanders are anticipating greater freedoms when the lockdown eases at 11.59pm on Monday, and new guidelines issued this morning make it clear that level 3 restrictions will be the same across all age groups.
The easing of restrictions comes as the official global death toll from coronavirus passed the 200,000 mark. The tally is compiled by John Hopkins University from government figures, and the actual toll is feared much higher. More than 50,000 people in the US have died.
Older New Zealanders were being asked to be "especially careful" as restrictions ease.
"Obviously age is one determinant of risk, but people over 70 are perfectly able to make these judgements for themselves," Seniors Minister Tracey Martin told The New Zealand Herald.
"It's wrong if people who are fit and healthy are prevented from working or looking after themselves as anyone else would."
The fragility of older people towards Covid-19 was underlined on Saturday with the country's 18th coronavirus-linked death - an Auckland woman in her 70s who had an underlying health condition.
She had been transferred from St Margaret's Hospital and Rest Home and died in Waitakere Hospital, the second St Margaret's resident to die in Waitakere.
Daily visits by a family member were allowed under strict conditions in the days leading to the woman's death.
All of the 18 people who have died so far were in their 60s or older, and 16 of them were in their 70s or older, including 10 from the Rosewood Rest Home cluster in Christchurch.
When Ardern introduced the four-tier alert level system during an address to the nation on March 21, she said the country was at alert level 2 and asked people over 70 to stay at home as much as possible.
That request did not apply to people under 70.
"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," she said.
Today, Martin said the basic rules at alert level 3 would be the same for over 70s and those with underlying health problems as for everyone else.
"Over 70s and other higher-risk groups have the same rights as everyone else to go to work, to exercise and to access essential services like supermarkets and banks.
"It's just that we're asking them to be especially careful."
From Tuesday, that means they can extend their bubbles, drive to a nearby beach or park for exercise, swim or fish from the shore, or take children to school if they are caregivers.
They can also return to work if those workplaces are Covid-safe.
"There is no reason to exclude workers on the basis of age or disability," Martin said.
If they needed to manage their work differently because of specific health conditions, Martin said the Government's leave support scheme had been expanded to all businesses, not just essential services.
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Comments
Freedom for the stallion.
All this engagement with the buzz is not compulsory, is it?
'Busy day?' will become even more onerous for the asking.
Over 70's are actually taking work from younger people.
Where is the evidence for over 70s taking work from young people? Some data would help. If young people can do the work as well as a 70 plus person then I am sure the employers would hire them as they will be on lower level pay scale. And a great number of over 70s were doing voluntary work for community groups such as the Hospice shop, meals on wheels and will return to this as soon as they are allowed. Get real and be kind.