The Government's announcement of the move to Level 3 on the COVID-19 alert scale on April 27 means restrictions have also been eased on outdoor activity and exercise.
Sport New Zealand has released a general overview of what impact the downgrade will have on your ability to get out and about.
And while you're not quite able to jump right back into your local Body Blast class, some restrictions have been relaxed.
Sport NZ has broken it down into five separate categories:
- Non-contact activity (Walks, cycling etc)
- Contact activity (Group fitness, team sports practice)
- Water sports (Kayaking, fishing, surfing, boating etc)
- Active recreation (Golf, hunting, tramping, fishing etc)
- Play (Kids playgrounds, parks etc)
Here are the primary changes among each going from alert Level 4 to Level 3:
Non-contact activity:
- You'll now be able to venture out further than just your immediate neighbourhood on cycling rides or walks, as long as you remain within your region, and by yourself or with others from your bubble.
- The activities must be low risk and within your current capabilities. For example, you can go mountain biking, but stick to the easy trails.
- Non-contact organised sports outside the bubble are still off limits.
Contact activity:
- This category will essentially retain the same restrictions as Level 4, where low-risk physical activity within your bubble is fine, but no contact sport outside your bubble is permitted.
- That means no meeting up with your rugby or football teams for a practice session.
- The one notable change is the loosening of travel restrictions for activity within your bubble, which is now extended to anywhere in your region.
Water sports:
- Where Level 4 had a wholesale ban on all such activities, you're now allowed to go swimming, surfing, kayaking, canoeing, rowing, windsurfing and paddle-boarding, as long as you're alone or within your bubble.
- But boating, sailing, jet skis, and anything motorised are still off limits.
- All public aquatic facilities (like swimming pools) will remain closed.
Active recreation:
- The main change here is that recreational, non-commercial line fishing from shore will now be allowed.
- Gyms remain closed.
- Guidelines for golf are yet to be confirmed, but there's hope that solo and extended bubble play may be possible.
- The restrictions on hunting are also still being developed and will be confirmed ASAP.
Play:
- This category will also retain the same restrictions under Level 3, apart from the allowance for the extended bubble to be included in any activity.
- Outdoor parks and fields are fine to use, but all public playgrounds are still closed.
