New Zealand will move into a Covid-19 pandemic Alert Level 4 — Lockdown from 11.59pm tonight (Tuesday, August 17).

It's been 477 days, or 68 weeks, since the country was last under such restrictions.

The entire nation last went into self-isolation, in their family bubbles, on March 25, 2020, and remained locked down until April 27, 2020.

Here's a quick reminder on what it means:

• People are instructed to stay at home in their bubble other than for essential personal movement.
• Safe recreational activity is allowed in local area.
• Travel is severely limited. 
• All gatherings are cancelled and all public venues are closed.
• Businesses are closed except for essential services - for example, supermarkets, pharmacies, clinics, petrol stations and lifeline utilities will stay open.
• Educational facilities are closed.
• Rationing of supplies and requisitioning of facilities is possible.
• Reprioritisation of healthcare services.
• People are asked to wear a mask and keep 2 metres from others when outside
• If you are sick, call your doctor or Healthline on 0800 358 5453
• Keep scanning QR codes whenever you leave your home
• Practice good hygiene - wash hands often.

This time, the lockdown has been put in place for three days nationally, and likely seven days in Auckland and the Coromandel.

That could change as it becomes clearer over the next few days how wide the virus has spread.

People have been given 48 hours to travel to their homes, which will likely see a mass exodus of people from Queenstown Lakes over the next few days.

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PHOTO: Wanaka App