New Zealand went into its first nationwide Covid-19 lockdown at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, 25 March 2020, when the country moved to Alert Level 4 restrictions.

Key timeline

  • 28 February 2020 – First Covid-19 case recorded in New Zealand.
  • 21 March 2020 – Four-level alert system announced; NZ moved immediately to Alert Level 2.
  • 23 March 2020 – Alert Level raised to 3 and the move to Level 4 lockdown at 11:59 p.m. on 25 March was announced.
  • 25 March 2020, 11:59 p.m. – New Zealand entered full nationwide lockdown (Alert Level 4), with people instructed to stay home in their household “bubbles”.

In simple terms: “Lockdown” in NZ is generally taken to mean the start of Alert Level 4 at 11:59 p.m. on 25 March 2020.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.