The Ministry of Health announced dozens of Covid-19 community-based testing centres around the country are closing down.

The announcement came as Kiwis around the country got out and about to enjoy the long weekend - a welcome holiday break under the more relaxed restrictions of level 2.

The country has recorded nine straight days without a new case of the virus, which has infected almost 6 million and killed more than 364,000 worldwide, including 22 in New Zealand.

While almost 1500 others here have been infected, all but one - an Aucklander aged in their 50s - have recovered. The remaining unwell person is not in hospital.

Some district health boards were now starting to tell people to go back to their GPs for Covid-19 swabbing, the ministry said on Friday.

Each board would make its own decision on how best to provide testing in future, which could be a mix of community-based testing centres, mobile services or primary care.

College of GPs medical director Bryant Betty told Tim Dower it is important testing remains free to the public.

"There needs to be very few barriers to testing for those people that need to be testing. We know the guidance about who should be tested and who shouldn't be tested."