NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Covid 19 coronavirus: Cabinet to consider mass gathering rules

NZ Herald
20 May, 2020 05:00 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

There are no new Covid-19 cases today. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the Government on Monday will consider increasing the maximum size of gatherings under alert level 2.

VIRUS LATEST
* Almost 5 million cases globally, with 325,000 deaths; NZ has just 35 active cases
* 'Very emotional': Man loses job in lockdown, then wins $10 million on Lotto
* National MP flouts social distancing rules, says 'St Jacinda's rules rubbish'
* Team NZ rivals' frustrations
with Government
* Latest developments and essential information

Bars and clubs can open today without the Easter weekend-style trading restrictions, but New Zealanders will have to wait until next week to find out whether they can gather in groups of more than 10 people.

The Government will consider raising the maximum number of gatherings under level 2 at next week's Cabinet discussion on Monday, with an announcement to be made shortly afterwards.

If a decision to increase the maximum size is made, the changes could happen within 48 hours.

But Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has warned this number will only be relaxed if the country continues to record Covid-19 case numbers.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Bar-owners had to wait an extra week before they could reopen to customers without the Easter-style restrictions. Some bars have been open in the past week, but have had to serve meals with drinks.

Today, that restriction lifts, although they cannot have more than 100 people in total and individual groups of friends must be capped at 10.

Although restaurants and cinemas are also allowed to open their doors at alert level 2 and can have up to 100 people inside, religious gatherings remain capped at 10 people.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The restriction has angered some religious leaders who argue they're quite capable of arranging for social distancing and appropriate hygiene, as other venues are trusted to.

Ardern has previously argued that religious services and similar gatherings are unsafe because those attending are part of a community and more likely to mingle and hug.

"When it comes to church services the logic there is, when you've got people who gather together, who are familiar with one another, in large congregations ... that is a risky activity," she said.

As the country records no new Covid-19 cases for the third day in a row, the Government announced it also has the option to further relax physical distancing rules.

Discover more

New Zealand|education

Boy, 6, writes letter for homework, 'overwhelmed' by Bloomfield response

20 May 04:08 AM
New Zealand

Auckland mayor Phil Goff signals lower rates increase of 2.5%

20 May 04:33 AM
New Zealand|politics

Coronavirus: All you need to know about Wednesday's developments

20 May 07:00 AM
Netball

'Champing at the bit': How schools are tackling rugby return

23 May 05:00 PM

There are just 35 active cases in New Zealand, with one person in Auckland's Middlemore Hospital.

Ardern yesterday said this lessening of the rules could happen at alert level 2, as the Government receives more Covid-19 data.

While she was "cautiously optimistic" at the consistently low case numbers, Ardern urged Kiwis to remain vigilant.

"Remember Covid-19 is still in our community and we know from our clusters that one case can become 90 after a single night out or a single event.

"It would only take two-to-three instances of that for our caseload to escalate back to pre-lockdown numbers."

New Zealand will remain in level 2 until the director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield advised it was time to move, she said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Changes will be reviewed every two weeks, the Prime Minister said, although there is no set date on which the alert level will lower to 1.

Bloomfield encouraged Kiwis to download the NZ Covid Tracer, which helps to "build a picture" of where you've been, should you be infected with the virus.

The app has the function to scan QR codes at participating businesses allowing users to keep a digital diary of their movements, without needing to handover their personal details to businesses.

More than 92,000 people have already downloaded the app after it was made available on Tuesday evening.

It's hoped the app would eventually take the place of manual sign-ins at businesses.

Privacy had been a major consideration of the app and had been worked through with the Privacy Commissioner, as would any future iterations which have Bluetooth functionality, he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Contact tracing will be one of the strict protocols bars have to follow, as they reopen for the first time in nearly two months.

From today, bars and clubs can open, as Ardern says she has "huge faith" that they will stick to the "three S" rules - seated, separated, and single service.

Ardern acknowledged times have been tough for owners and bar staff and she wished them well.

But as hundreds of hospitality workers return to work, more than 2300 staff at Air New Zealand and Fletchers are set to lose their jobs.

More than 1300 cabin crew jobs have been axed in a move one worker called "crushing".

Fletcher Building is shedding around 10 per cent of its workforce - around 1000 staff - as part of "resetting the business for the future," chief executive Ross Taylor said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

Premium
New Zealand

Love this City: The wind in Luxon’s hair, better housing and more dogs, roads and Matariki magic

04 Jul 05:00 PM
New Zealand

'Major concern': 200 children lack safe beds in Northland

04 Jul 05:00 PM
Premium
Opinion

Thomas Coughlan: Govt mulls dramatic local government reform, slashing councils

04 Jul 05:00 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Premium
Love this City: The wind in Luxon’s hair, better housing and more dogs, roads and Matariki magic

Love this City: The wind in Luxon’s hair, better housing and more dogs, roads and Matariki magic

04 Jul 05:00 PM

Opinion: Goings on at Auckland Council and other highlights of the week.

'Major concern': 200 children lack safe beds in Northland

'Major concern': 200 children lack safe beds in Northland

04 Jul 05:00 PM
Premium
Thomas Coughlan: Govt mulls dramatic local government reform, slashing councils

Thomas Coughlan: Govt mulls dramatic local government reform, slashing councils

04 Jul 05:00 PM
‘Huge growth potential’: Willis on wool challenges during visit to NZ’s biggest scourer

‘Huge growth potential’: Willis on wool challenges during visit to NZ’s biggest scourer

04 Jul 05:00 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP