What are the signs and symptoms of COVID-19?
Symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to a range of other illnesses such
as influenza and do not necessarily mean that you have COVID-19.
Symptoms include:
fevercoughingdifficulty breathing.
Difficulty breathing is a sign of possible pneumonia and requires immediate medical attention.
If you have these symptoms please contact Healthline (for free) on 0800 358 5453 (or international +64 9 358 5453) or your doctor immediately. Call your doctor before visiting.
What does Alert Level 4 mean?
New Zealand is now at Alert Level 4.
This will save lives. You must stay home.
Level 4 measures include:
anyone not involved in essential work, needs to stay at homeeducational facilities are now closedbusinesses are closed, except for essential services like supermarkets, pharmacies and clinics, and lifeline utilities.
You must reside at the same place for the duration of the time New Zealand is at Alert Level 4. Where you stayed on the evening of Wednesday 25 March is where you must remain.
You must only be in physical contact with those you are living with.
It is likely Level 4 measures will stay in place for a number of weeks.
Remember, what you do now, will affect all of us.
Why is this happening?
At Level 4, the aim is to stop and eradicate COVID-19. Eradicating
the disease is vital to protect people’s health and ensure our health
system can cope and look after New Zealanders who become sick. Staying
at home is essential – it is a simple but highly effective way to
constrain the virus. It will help give our healthcare system a fighting
chance.
If you don’t follow these rules, and you visit a friend’s
house or see a family member for lunch, you risk spreading COVID-19 and
extending everyone’s time in isolation at Level 4.
We have a window of opportunity and we need your support to protect New Zealand and eradicate COVID-19.
Why has a state of national emergency been declared?
A state of national emergency has been declared because of the
unprecedented nature of this global pandemic, and to ensure the
Government has all the powers it needs to slow the spread of COVID-19
and reduce its impact.
The state of national emergency declaration
allows the Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management to direct and
coordinate personnel, material and other resources made available, and
provides access to powers that would not normally be available, but will
be needed to manage the ongoing response. This is an enhancement to the
current COVID-19 response arrangements.
Read more on the State of national emergency page
Can I leave my house?
You should stay at home as much as possible, except for going for a
walk or picking up essentials. You should not enter other people’s
houses or arrange meetings in public places.
If you leave your
home, keep a 2-metre distance from other people at all times. When you
return home from being in public, thoroughly wash your hands. Stopping
physical contact with people outside your household is the single most
important thing we can do right now to stop further community
transmission.
Be kind. People may want to act as enforcers of
others, but report any concerns to the correct authorities by calling
Police on 105 or filling out their online form.
Online form on the Police 105 website(external link)(external link)(external link)
See more information on staying at home
If
you have recently returned from overseas, are displaying symptoms or
have been tested for COVID-19, you must instead self-isolate and should
not leave your house.
See more information on self-isolation
Can I use my car?
Using private vehicles for transport is allowed. You can only travel
if you’re accessing essential services or if you’re an essential worker
travelling to, from or as part of your essential work. You should only
travel in your car with people from your household.
Personal walks
and other active travel like cycling or scootering, is fine, provided
you keep a 2-metre distance from anybody outside of your household.
Stick to simple outdoor exercise and avoid areas where you can get
injured or lost. It’s important the emergency services remain available
to support the response to COVID-19.
Remember, any unnecessary travel may spread COVID-19.
Will public transport continue?
We are asking everyone to stop their movement to help us eliminate COVID-19.
Public transport and domestic air travel is restricted to those involved in essential services, medical reasons and freight.
International air travel is permitted in some cases for people to leave the country and to get home to self-isolate.
Ferry services, road and rail will continue to transport essential goods.
Driving in private vehicles is allowed, but only with people in your household who you are self-isolating with.
Information and advice for travellers
How can I report a breach of the Level 4 restrictions?
If you have concerns about a gathering of people, a non-essential
shop or service that is open, anyone who is not self-isolating as
required, or an event that breaches the criteria, you can report it to
Police online at www.105.police.govt.nz. Do not ring 105. Reports will be prioritised based on risk.
Where can I get financial support?
The Government is acting to support people in New Zealand through these changes with a $16.1 billion package that includes:
a wage subsidy scheme (previous cap of $150,000 per business removed)leave and self-isolation supportbusiness cash flow and tax measuresmortgage repayment holiday scheme for 6 months – via retail banksbusiness finance guarantee scheme.
Your usual financial support, such as benefits, will continue.
Find out more about COVID-19 support on the Work and Income website
How can I get food and supplies at Alert Level 4?
Essential services remain open at all Alert Levels. This includes
supermarkets, banks, GPs, pharmacies, service stations, couriers and
other important frontline service providers.
You can arrange to
have your shopping delivered, or have family, friends or neighbours drop
off food or groceries. You just need to ask them to leave these at the
door, rather than come in. Drop offs at the door (rather than coming in)
will protect them from exposure to COVID-19.
If visiting a store in person, you must retain social distancing of 2 metres, and wash your hands before and after visiting.
Can I buy alcohol?
Alcohol is available to be purchased in supermarkets, and Licensing
Trust liquor stores (open liquor store premises in a Licencing Trust
areas can only operate with a one-in-one-out rule).
All other Liquor stores must be closed to the public.
The online sale and contactless delivery of alcohol (including spirits) is permitted under the following conditions:
You must hold an off-license with an endorsement for remote sales
under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act. You must comply with
requirements of your licenseThe agreed quantity for spirits purchased must be no more than the
customs/duty free allowance which is 3 bottles (or other containers) of
spirits or liqueur (each bottle or container can hold a maximum of 1.125
litres) per order.
Can children in shared custody go between households?
The best thing everyone can do to stop the spread of COVID-19 is to
stay at home. This includes parents with shared custody arrangements,
and their children. The Principal Family Court Judge has released
guidance for parents with shared custody arrangements.
Generally,
whose parents live within an hour’s drive of each other can continue to
go between their homes. Simple precautions should be taken to protect
the health of parents and children. This includes parents from different
households keeping a distance of more than 2 metres.
If parents
are more than an hour’s drive away, then the children should stay in one
home. Children should also stay in one home if they’re feeling unwell,
or if someone in their home is unwell or has been overseas in the last
14 days. This will protect the health of parents, caregivers and
children.
More information is available on the Ministry of Justice website
What are essential services?
Essential services include food, medicine, healthcare, energy, fuel,
waste-removal, internet and financial support. All of these things will
continue to be available at all Alert Levels.
More information about essential businesses
I’m an essential worker. Should I wear personal protective equipment?
As an essential worker you are playing a vital role in keeping New Zealand running during Alert Level 4.
You
may also be wondering if you need to be using Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) in order to keep yourself safe during this time.
The
Ministry of Health has put together some tips for while you’re at work
and at home. These are the most effective measures to protect you and
those you live with.
Read about PPE for essential workers
The most important thing for you to know is that basic hygiene measures are the best defence against COVID-19.
If
you are unwell, you must not go to work, and must not return to work
unless you are symptom free for 48 hours. Call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 or your doctor if you feel unwell.
I’m feeling stressed, who can I talk to?
If over the following days and weeks you feel you are not coping,
it’s important to seek help and professional support. Your family doctor
is a good starting point.
For support with grief, anxiety,
distress or mental wellbeing, you can also call or text the ‘Need to
talk?’ service on 1737. This service is free, available 24 hours a day, 7
days a week and gives you the chance to talk it through with a trained
counsellor.
Can I get a tradesperson to do essential maintenance on my house?
You can have a tradesperson come to your house to do urgent
maintenance. The work must be essential to maintaining the necessities
of life, or critical to safety. This includes electricians, plumbers and
builders.
Find more information on the Building Performance website
From the official Government Website.
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