Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced New Zealand will move from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2 at 11.59pm on Wednesday 13 May. Until then we are still in Alert Level 3.

She said cafes, malls, restaurants, playgrounds and other businesses can open on Thursday, but bars must wait until another 10 days. 

Schools will reopen to students on Monday 18 May. 

Bars, the last to be allowed to open, won’t be able to do so until Thursday 21 May. She gave an example of South Korea, who opened their bars and saw a spike in cases immediately, after which they were closed again. 

Social distancing rules and good hygiene will be expected, she said, and in 10 days most kiwi businesses will again be open. 

"There does have to be a new normal," she said. 

"We will be breaking out of our bubbles. We will be around more people." 

Jacinda warned social events were the source of many clusters in New Zealand, and will be under the most restrictions. 

Weddings, stag do’s, parties and similar events must be limited to 10 people or less. 

"Parties, big social events, anything designed to be for mixing or mingling won't be allowed for crowds bigger than 10,” she said. 

“We are trying to keep this nice and simple.”

Jacinda began the press conference by acknowledging the sacrifices New Zalanders have made during the fight against COVID-19. 

She said the sacrifices of the last six and a half weeks have been made by people who had lost loved ones who couldn't have the chance to grieve properly, or people who had lost their jobs. 

New Zealanders were determined to win the "war" against COVID-19 by forming a wall of protection, she said. 

She gave her thanks to New Zealanders for their hard work, and told a story of a young mother who wrote to her, explaining how her young son lives with an auto-immune disease and was at great risk and how she felt relieved because of the work we have all done to protect her son.

Jacinda said the numbers of COVID-19 cases remain low and the health system has been boosted to continually test, fight and track infections. 

She said a new national call centre can contact over 10,000 people per day, with contact tracing able to effectively track over 150 people.

But, she warned we all needed to do our bit.

“If you get a sniffle, a sore throat or a cough, get advice and get a test quickly. Don’t be a stoic kiwi,” she said. 

She said hand hygiene and sneezing and coughing etiquette remain the front line of fighting infections. 

Director-General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield said New Zealanders should now be well-accustomed to hygiene practices, and said there is no requirement or recommendation to wear masks on public transport or in public. 

Ashley said majority of kiwis were doing the right thing and have done an outstanding job

“Now we can unite to build our economy,” Jacinda said. 

Finance Minister Grant Robertson is set to announce more economic measures and policies on Thursday when he presents the budget.