Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says New Zealand can take heart from there being no new coronavirus cases or deaths today, but no decision has been made on moving out of Alert Level 3.
"My message remains the same ... stay the course. We cannot afford to squander the good work to date when our end goal is close and within reach," she told media.
- No new Covid-19 cases
- Judge overrules lockdown, allows son to visit dying dad
- Call to address housing in Dunedin
- 'Nice' to be back at work
- ODT feature: Recovery for all
Ardern said Cabinet today discussed what the level 2 alert would look like, and those details would be made clear on Thursday.
"It will provide clarity and certainty and give people time to prepare. No decision has been made on moving out level 3 at this stage."
On Tuesday, April 28, New Zealand ended Level 4 lockdown which shut offices, schools, malls, restaurants, playgrounds and all other public areas for over a month.
It has moved to Alert Level 3 but several social restrictions remain in place, with millions of Kiwis continuing to work and study from home. Some economic activity, including selling takeaway food and drinks, has resumed.
"My message remains the same ... stay the course. We cannot afford to squander the good work to date when our end goal is close and within reach.
"I'm a perfectionist. I want to see those numbers after we've been in alert level 3 long enough to be sure it's a reflection of alert level 3."
A week from today, on May 11, Cabinet will decide whether New Zealand will move down from level 3 or continue on.
Ardern said the country needed every day between now and then to be sure there was no widespread transmission of the virus under level 3.
The one scenario the Government has been clear about is to avoid yo-yoing between levels, she said.
TRANS-TASMAN MEETING
The Prime Minister told media she would appear at Australia's Cabinet meeting tomorrow via video link.
"The meeting will discuss a range of matters in relation to the Covid response on both sides of the Tasman including the creation of a trans-Tasman travel bubble."
She said a trans-Tasman bubble - which would mean New Zealanders and Australians being confident of being able to travel between the countries without having to quarantine - was still some time off and had not been discussed in an official capacity yet.
She said the Government was focused on travel between New Zealand and Australia, rather than with other Pacific nations, for now.
"There is huge risk if Covid finds its way into Pacific Island nations that are untouched by Covid. So I would want us to act cautiously and in unison with the leaders of those countries."
LOCKDOWN EXEMPTIONS
Eighteen requests for exemptions to lockdown rules have been granted, the Prime Minister revealed.
It follows a man winning a High Court ruling to see his dying father after his request to be exempt from Alert Level 4 restrictions was denied.
Responding to the case, Ardern said today New Zealand needed to make sure "we learn" from the rulings. It appeared the response to his application was an automatic response, so it was her expectation the Ministry of Health would take the ruling into consideration.
Some 283 requests for exemptions to the lockdown were sought - 24 on the grounds of a relative dying and 18 were granted, she said.
Earlier today, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield announced that for the first time in close to six weeks testing has not uncovered a single case across a 24-hour period.
He said it was a "time for celebration" but also didn't mean New Zealanders could become complacent.
It wouldn't be until later in the week after the incubation period which will show if there were any new cases as a result of stepping down to level 3.
"We're nearly there - let's not slacken off now," Bloomfield said.
- RNZ and NZ Herald
