New Zealand is set to move into the new traffic light system before Christmas, with the whole country moving at the same time.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she knew that "people are tired from our Covid fight, particularly the people and businesses of Auckland, and Waikato".
"We now have the unique advantage though of moving to the next phase of managing Covid-19 with a highly vaccinated population, and with a plan."
That plan sees Cabinet meeting on November 29, where Ardern said it would confirm the decision, and set out a date that New Zealand would move to the traffic light system.
The whole of the country will move into the new framework, even if not every region has 90 per cent of people double jabbed.
"As we have already signalled we expect that move to occur soon after Cabinet meets and that Auckland will initially move into Red, the highest level in the traffic light," Ardern said.
"At that same meeting, Cabinet will confirm that the rest the country will move into the framework at the same time as Auckland."
The epidemiologist reiterated the importance of high vaccination rates.
Once the traffic light system kicks in, vaccinated Kiwis would be able to use their pass to show proof of vaccination for lessened or no restrictions at the three new Covid risk levels of Green, Orange and Red.
Areas and regions would be given different risk categories - Red, Orange and Green - dependent on factors such as the level and spread of Covid cases and the vaccination rate of people who live there.
Ardern confirmed that areas with low vaccination levels would be at the Red level.
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