All regions outside Auckland to move to Alert Level 2
All regions outside Auckland will move to Covid-19 Alert Level 2, with Auckland remaining at Alert Level 4 for at least another week.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield announced the changes at a post-cabinet press conference on Monday afternoon.
Regions outside Auckland will make the change to Alert Level 2, at 11.59pm tomorrow.
Here's what you need to know
- A refresh on Level 2 restrictions and what it means for you.
- Indoor gatherings are now capped at 50 people, with outdoor gatherings restricted to a maximum of 100 people.
- There have been 20 confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported by the Ministry of Health since 9.00am yesterday, all in Auckland.
- If you have any flu-like symptoms, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 or ring your GP.
- Find your closest Covid-19 testing location on the Healthpoint website
For more information, visit covid19.govt.nz.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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