Special needs children are among those being advised to keep staying home instead of attending school when New Zealand enters alert level 3.
In a Facebook live stream on Tuesday afternoon, Secretary of Education Iona Holsted says any children with higher needs are among those who shouldn't go back to school. The Government has said schools will only be open for students whose parents have to leave the house to go to work.
"Under level 3 you are allowed to extend your bubbles - so you can allow a caregiver to enter your bubble and that is what I would recommend parents do," Holsted said.
When schools are reopened under alert level 3, Holsted stresses there will be measures in place to protect children who must attend.
There will be school "bubbles" so that children interact with a limited amount of people - nine children and one teacher.
School playgrounds will be closed, and any equipment like Lego or blocks will be cleaned regularly to stem the spread of infection.
Despite the safety measures, it has been stressed by health professionals and the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern that school attendance is only for children who cannot be kept at home.
"If you can keep your children at home, do so," she said on Monday.
"If you can work from home, then do so. [Children should be sent to school] in scenarios where that's not possible so we are expecting low levels of attendance."
