29 September and October 12. Under this lockdown, travel and business activities within those districts will be limited. Reactions and measures in the Western Pacific 3 September Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt has extended a ban on overseas travel and cruise ships entering Australia until 17 December 2020. 4 September New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that New Zealand would remain on Alert Level 2 while Auckland would remain on Alert Level 2.5 for at least ten more days. The New Zealand Cabinet will review them again on 14 September. That same day, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi extended the visas of visitors due to expire before the end of October by five months. In addition, temporary migrants unable to leave New Zealand due to international travel restrictions will be granted a new two-month COVID-19 short-term visa. 6 September In Australia, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has extended stage 4 COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on Melbourne until 28 September. The New Zealand Government has required all border workers to undergo testing for COVID-19 from midnight on 7 September. 9 September The New Zealand Government has allowed certain non-citizens and non-residents to apply for border exceptions including those holding a job or operating a business in New Zealand; residency and work visa holders, and partners who are Australian citizens or from visa-waiver countries. In addition, those who have been unable to enter the country to activate their residency visa or unable to return before their residency visa expires will receive a reprieve. 14 September New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has extended the Alert Level 2.5 rating in Auckland and the Level 2 rating in the rest of the country by one week, with plans to ease lockdown restrictions the following week. In addition, the Government relaxed social distancing restrictions on public transportation including buses and planes. 21 September New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that Auckland would move into Alert Level 2 on 23 September at 11:59pm while the rest of the country would move into Alert Level 1 tonight at 11:59pm. Under Auckland's Alert Level 2 status, public gatherings of 100 people will be allowed but a 50-person cap remains on funerals and tangihanga. See also Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic References September 2020 events Timelines of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020