Introduction

The "big news" of 2020 has been the first mass spreading infectious disease with a non-trivial death rate, for which there is no current vaccination, in many decades -- Covid-19. Cases were diagnosed in New Zealand from 2020-02-28 onwards -- initially in those who had contracted Covid-19 overseas and then returned/travelled to New Zealand.

As the number of Covid-19 cases both overseas and in New Zealand continued to rise, the New Zealand Government launched the covid19.govt.nz site, and the 4-level Alert System. The website was launched before 2020-03-18 (which is the first archive), and the 4-level Alert System was launched 2020-03-21, initially at one URL on 2020-03-21 (with a brief New Zealand Covid-19 Alert Levels PDF for reference); and then a few weeks later at a different URL, from 2020-04-07 with more detail. (There were some other PDFs with details of the levels, in between, referenced below as relevant.)

The stated meanings of the levels are:

  • Alert Level 1 -- Prepare

  • Alert Level 2 -- Reduce

  • Alert Level 3 -- Restrict

  • Alert Level 4 -- Lockdown

but the actual implementation of these levels has varied over time. In particular the definition of Level 2 and Level 3 before Level 4, and the definition of Level 3 and Level 2 after Level 4 are noticeably different.

Timeline

NZ Covid-19 Alert Level 1 -- Prepare

In practice New Zealand has never actually been at Covid-19 Alert level 1: by the time the Alert Level System was announced (2020-03-21) we were already at Alert Level 2, and realistically had been since about 2020-03-19 when larger indoor events were restricted. So the actual definition of Covid-19 Alert Level 1 does not matter at present as it is inevitable (given the changes noted below) that it will change before we ever reach Covid-19 Alert Level 1.

In theory Alert Level 1 means (compare with 2020-05-21 version:

  • Border restrictions

  • Intensive Covid-19 testing

  • Contact tracing

  • Self isolation when relevant

  • Gatherings over 500 cancelled

It seems likely that New Zealand will reach some version of the Covid-19 Alert Level 1 at some point later in 2020 (ie, border restrictions and large gatherings prohibited, but routine day to day interactions largely as they were in 2019 and earlier). But the timing of that is currently unknown and unknowable.

NZ Covid-19 Alert Level 2 -- Reduce

At the time of writing, officially New Zealand has had two periods of "Covid-19 Alert Level 2":

  • 2020-03-21 xx:xx NZDT to 2020-03-23 13:49 NZDT ("March")

  • 2020-05-13 23:59 NZST onwards ("May")

In practice the 2020-03-21 announcement of the "Alert Levels" and the current position at Alert Level 2 simply recorded where New Zealand already was, and realistically New Zealand had been at something equivalent to Alert Level 2 from 2020-03-19 23:59 NZDT when the borders closed and events over 100 people were restricted.

There was not a separate "Alert Level 2" page for the March version so those details have been taken from the overall Alert Level Summaries.

2020-03-21 view of March Alert Level 2

  • Maximum border restrictions

  • Restrictions on mass gatherings (implied: over 100, by 2020-03-19 announcement)

  • Physical distancing on public transport

  • Limit non-essential travel around New Zealand

  • Alternative working (remote working, staggered working, etc); activate Business Continuity Plans

  • High risk people to remain at home (over 70 / other medical conditions)

"Level 2" stayed with the same restrictions through 2020-03-23 when we moved to Alert Level 3, and on into 2020-03-26 when we were in Alert Level 4.

"Level 2" stayed the same through the change in URL for the Covid-19 Alert System on 2020-04-07. And the same up through 2020-04-15.

2020-04-16 definition of Alert Level 2

The first substantial change of Alert Level 2 happened around 2020-04-16, changing to:

  • Physical distancing of 1 metre

  • Gatherings of 100 people indoors, 500 people outdoors

  • Most business open for staff and customers (but alternative ways of working encouraged)

  • Schools open

  • High risk people encouraged to remain at home

This definition remained up through 2020-05-05.

See also detailed Alert Levels PDF from 2020-05-04.

2020-05-07 definition of Alert Level 2

A second substantial change of "Alert Level 2" happened around 2020-05-07:

  • Physical distancing of 2 metres, except in controlled environments (eg workplace) of 1 metre

  • Gatherings of 100 people indoors or outdoors

  • Most business open for staff and customers, if following physical distancing and contact tracing rules

  • Schools open

  • High risk people encouraged to remain at home

Around 2020-05-07 also marked the introduction of a dedicated Alert Level 2 page (supposedly "edited 2020-05-04"), with more detail, including:

  • Indoor gatherings should be seated, and be approximately two hours long

  • Take extra care if you interact with people you do not know (because it is harder to do contact tracing)

  • Specific guidance to come for close personal contact work (eg, hair dressers)

These rules stayed the same until around 2020-05-10.

2020-05-11 definition of Alert Level 2

The first major change to the May Alert Level 2 rules happened around 2020-05-11, a couple of days before they were due to come into effect:

  • Physical distancing of 2 metres, except in controlled environments (eg workplace) of 1 metre

  • Gatherings of up to 10 people in your house

  • Gatherings outside your house of up to 10 people for up to 2 hours, with attendees recorded

  • Most business open for staff and customers, with contact registers/ contact tracing records for "everyone who you interact with on your premises". Up to 10 people in a group, up to 2 hours.

  • Specific guidance to come for close personal contact work (eg, hair dressers)

  • Limit use of public transport, avoid sitting next to someone you do not know, or standing

  • Schools open

See also detailed Alert Level 2 PDF from 2020-05-11

Earlier on 2020-05-11 gatherings in your own home were limited to "up to 2 hours", but that restriction was removed by the next morning.

2020-05-12 definition of Alert Level 2

Similar to 2020-05-11, with the notable changes being:

  • Keep your distance when out and about (ideally 2 metres), not just from people you do not know

  • Schools to open from 2020-05-18 (ie, the Monday)

  • Detailed guidance for public venues like libraries and museums to be released.

  • Duck Shooting Season starts 2020-05-23

  • 2 Hour limit for customers on your premises (not just groups)

plus a bunch of rewording of text for clarity (but with the same meaning).

2020-05-13 definition of Alert Level 2

By 2020-05-13 there was a change to the definition that permitted up to 50 people to attend a funeral or tangihanga.

2020-05-14 definition of Alert Level 2

By the 2020-05-14 version of Alert Level 2:

  • retailers no longer needed to "keep records of customers to enable contact tracing" (but it appears quite a few of them are requiring some form of contact tracing for entry by customers anyway, even as late as 2020-05-20); and

  • "There is no maximum number of customers allowed in a store, as long as they can keep 2 metres apart at all times" (but nearly all stores were still limiting numbers entering as of 2020-05-20, leading to queues outside).

  • Businesses requiring close personal contact (hairdressers, home help, etc) can operate providing they keep contact tracing registers, keep customers 1 metre apart, and disinfect between customers. They do not have to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) but workers/customers may prefer them to do so.

  • Alcohol can only be served to people eating a meal (up to 2020-05-21)

  • If more than 10 people normally live in your house, no more can join.

Plus there were a lot of edits to change from future tense to present tense, as by 2020-05-14 we were in Alert Level 2, May edition.

These rules remained unchanged up through 2020-05-20.

The rule around alcohol was silently removed somewhere around 2020-05-21/2020-05-22 now that it no longer applies, without changing the "Last Modified" date (and unfortunately that change is not being reflected in the Internet Archive Wayback captures yet); the page was modified 2020-05-22 02:04:22 NZST according to the live headers. But that appears to be the only change since 2020-05-20 other than some additional links silently added.

Alert Level 3 and Alert Level 4

There were changes to the definitions of Alert Level 3 and Alert Level 4 while they were implemented, but they were less substantial than the changes to Alert Level 2 between March/April/May, so they are not analysed in detail here.

The main change of significance in Alert Level 4 was clarifications around "Shared Bubbles" -- shared custody, or individuals living alone who could join up with another household for support.

Final note

This blog post would have been impossible to write without the Internet Archive Wayback Machine; if you found this blog post useful please consider donating to the Internet Archive to help support archiving the web.

ETA 2020-05-29:

On 2020-05-25 it was announced that the Level 2 gathering limit would rise to 100 people from 2020-05-29 12:00 (noon, NZST).

There appear to be new rules for social gatherings in your home

A business or responsible individual, in charge of a social gathering, must ensure records are kept for contact tracing purposes, except where every person in a gathering knows each other. This includes in your home, community hall, or other such space.

Ie, there is again a requirement to keep contact tracing records for gatherings in your home "except where every person in a gathering knows each other". (So, presumably, if you invite two friends who do not already know each other, then the contact tracing requirement kicks in.)

Compare capture from 2020-05-29 11:05 NZST with capture from 2020-05-29 12:05 NZST. There is no longer a distinction between "in home" and "outside home" gatherings: it seems like the same rules, including contact tracing records, apply to both.

And there are a large number of other detailed rule changes too, presumably to try to make the "100" practical for various venues, including "separate spaces" within a building that might be one business but basically function in isolation.

ETA 2020-08-14:

Predictibly, there was another (currently small) community outbreak in New Zealand (in Auckland), leading to a change to Alert Level 3 in Auckland, and Alert Level 2 in the rest of New Zealand, soon followed by a public health direction relating to two businesses, a requirement for all businesses to display Covid19 Tracing QR code posters, and an emphasis on face coverings (which given the short notice led to pre-made masks being sold out most places).

The definition of Level 2 moved to yet another different URL (one deeper in the URL hierachy), and changed again, eg, the QR code requirement; see the Wayback Archive of the new Level 2 page.

It looks like the definition of Level 2 in detail just vanished from the menu until 2020-08-12; only Level 1 was in the menu; but there was a early August Level 2 definition at yet another URL.

ETA 2020-09-01:

On Sunday 2020-08-30, when the Auckland Region moved down levels somewhat from Level 3, but not as far as the "rest of New Zealand" Level 2, the Prime Minister invented a Level 2.5 for Auckland, between their Level 3 and the Level 2 of the rest of the country (archive; see also specific instructions for Auckland).

The Auckland "Level 2.5" is roughly the same restrictions as the May 2020 Level 2 (ie, smaller groups, limits on funerals etc), just with mandatory face coverings in some situations and mandatory contact tracing QR code display.

The "Level 2" for the rest of New Zealand is unchanged from earlier in August, but now includes mandatory contact tracing QR code display (active since mid August), and strongly encouraged face coverings in situations where physical distancing is not possible (eg, public transport).

The "Level 2.5" is strong proof that in hindsight the NZ Level system really needed one more level -- between Level 2 and Level 3. It would have allowed far less "constantly redefining what Level 2 means", and much more certainty.