Covid 19 coronavirus: All schools in Auckland to reopen from Monday under alert level 2

An Auckland principal says parents nervous about sending their children to school next week should speak with their schools directly about their concerns.

The alert level 3 lockdown will subside from midnight Sunday and Auckland will enter alert level 2, joining the rest of the nation, for at least a week.

All early childhood centres, schools, polytechs and universities will open from Monday.

There are also nine new Covid-19 cases in New Zealand today, eight of them linked to the Auckland cluster and the other in managed isolation in Auckland.

However, Auckland Primary Principals Association president Stephen Lethbridge says there is no need for parents to be concerned about next week.

"I encourage all parents, if they have any worries or concerns, to talk to their schools," the Point Chevalier School principal told the Herald.

"We managed the return last time really well and so parents should have confidence that they can send their children back to school."

Auckland Primary Principals Association president Stephen Lethbridge. Photo / Michael Craig

Lethbridge said he was not surprised to learn children will be able to head back to the classroom from Monday.

Last lockdown schools were given until the next Monday to open up, exactly what has taken place today.

Principals and school leadership teams would this week be assessing and improving plans they used for moving to alert level 2 last time.

"[They] will be making sure that those are relevant and that they've applied any learning from last time," Lethbridge said.

"Schools in the region are really well prepared for moving between the alert levels having done it before.

"We realise we've got a job to do and play in the community as the economy gets back up and running after the level three lockdown."

The rundown on Auckland's level 3 extension

Auckland will stay in lockdown for four further days until 11.59pm on Sunday, August 30, the Prime Minister revealed this afternoon.

The rest of the country will stay at level 2 and remain there after the weekend.

The alert level restrictions next week - level 2 around the country, including Auckland - will be in place for a week and be reviewed on September 6.

Ardern said the review on September 6 was genuine and she didn't want to give any expectations - for big events, for example - about a staged move to level 1.

The extra days would allow Auckland to move down a level "and stay down", Jacinda Ardern said.

A phased move to level 2 would also happen; Mass gatherings will be restricted to 10 people at level 2, and a 50-person limit would be in place for funerals and tangi.

Ardern said everyone will be required to wear masks on public transport for level 2 and above, and this will come into force on Monday.

Read more about the Government's decision to extend the lockdown and the upcoming week at alert level 2 here.