COVID-19 UPDATE: Auckland moves to Level 2, rest of NZ to Level 1

This afternoon the Government announced that the most recent outbreak has been contained. At midnight tonight the current alerts levels will be scaled down, with Auckland going to Alert Level 2 with a review on Monday, and the rest of New Zealand to Alert Level 1.

If you have questions about sports operations at alert levels, please first refer to Sport New Zealand’s Alert guidance here.

The Government Alert Levels can be found here.

 

For Auckland, basketball events under Alert 2:

We are supportive of events if they are held in line with the intentions of the Government’s Alert Level Guidelines and where strong health and safety precautions to combat the spread of COVID-19 are applied.

If operating at Alert Level 2, basketball providers should proceed with caution and remember:

  • Hosts should not operate events with gatherings of over 100 people. The Government limit on total gatherings at Alert Level 2 is 100. This requirement is to decrease the chance of spread. In case there is some confusion about how this rule should be applied, Basketball New Zealand is clear in our view, as is School Sport NZ and Sport NZ view that was given to us last September: The 100-person limit applies to the whole event. For example, it is not ok to operate an event over two venues with separate gatherings, then cross teams over later in the event for final rounds thereby creating new sets of 100 to do so. This would be an attempt to ‘work around’ the COVID-19 restrictions, it is risky and unsafe, and not in keeping with the intentions of the Government’s guidelines.
  • It may help to read this webpage outlining considerations if operating under the mass gathering restrictions of 100.
  • Should Auckland go from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2.5 like it did last year, it’s a timely reminder that Government Alert Level requirements say that if anyone is travelling to an event or meeting, they are expected to carry their home Alert Level with them.

 

Further reminders: