A new framework for utilising vaccine certificates is set to be released next week, in what the Prime Minister hopes will give Aucklanders more certainty.
Aucklanders have been in a variation of lockdown restrictions for almost two months, currently sitting at the 'step one' variation of Alert Level 3.
On Monday, Auckland's levels will be reviewed as to whether it can move to step 2, which would allow for retail and public spaces such as museums and zoos to open and gatherings to increase.
Later in the week, Jacinda Ardern said she expected a new framework would be released for using vaccine certificates.
Earlier this month Ardern said certificates would be in use this summer to allow large-scale events to go ahead.
They would be proof of full vaccination status, showing the person posed less risk.
At the time she said the hospitality industry was being consulted, and it would not be applied in essential health services or supermarkets.
She also hoped it would give more certainty to Aucklanders about what would happen in the future.
"As you would have seen, the outbreak, it has continued to grow, we expected that, but at a pace that is beyond what we have expected."
She said Aucklanders sticking to rules and continued vaccinations would help with easing restrictions.
When asked if there would be restrictions and border closures until a 90 per cent New Zealand vaccination rate, Ardern said, "not necessarily".
"That is why we set out the ability to step down [in the phased roadmap], but that is always been predicated in what's happening with the outbreak.
"We did expect there would be some growth in the outbreak in some recent days. It has been growing faster than anyone would like to see.
"What is critical for us is we know we can continue to contain it and control it if everyone continues to support the effort by following the restrictions."
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