New Zealand will move to Covid-19 alert level 3 next week and for the head of NZILA Tuia Pito Ora, that’s a move in the right direction for the landscape architecture profession.

President Brad Coombs says landscape architects have largely managed extremely well under the level 4 lockdown but the slight relaxing of restrictions from midnight on Monday 27 April means they should be able to get back out onto construction and project sites, as long as they don't travel outside of their own regions.

“Our priority is looking after the health of our members, but if people can get back to project sites safely, then the move to Alert Level 3 next week allows that to happen,” he says.

He welcomes the move and says it is imperative projects are reignited to help with economic recovery but stresses face to face contact with contacts outside our bubbles should still be avoided under level 3.

Here are the government’s rules for level 3 - but Brad Coombs says while LAs must work from home if they can, they will be able to go on site visits as long as they operate safely.

That means:

• keeping one metre between workers,
• recording who is working together,
• limiting interaction between groups of workers,
• disinfecting surfaces,
• maintaining high hygiene standards
• Most workers will not require PPE to stay safe at work.
• Incorrectly used PPE can create more risk.
• Good hygiene measures like hand washing with soap and water, physical distancing, sneeze and cough etiquette, and wiping down surfaces is the best defence against COVID-19.