Schools, offices and businesses can now operate with social distancing rules in place as the regions’ alert level shifts to 2 from 3 WELLINGTON: New Zealand will ease COVID-19 curbs in all regions outside its biggest city of Auckland from midnight on Tuesday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a news conference. Schools, offices and businesses can now operate with social distancing rules in place as the regions’ alert level shifts to 2 from 3, Ardern added.