The majority of the COVID-19 restrictions that remained in New Zealand were lifted on Monday as the government hinted at a return to normalcy for the first time since the outbreak started. Masks will no longer be necessary for entry into supermarkets, retail establishments, buses, or aeroplanes. The final remaining vaccination requirements, for healthcare professionals, will be lifted, and travellers won’t need to be immunised to enter the nation.
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The government declared it was doing away with the so-called COVID traffic light framework entirely, leaving only two major restrictions in place: those who test positive for the virus must isolate for seven days, and visitors to healthcare facilities like hospitals and nursing homes must wear masks.
Changes occur when the Southern Hemisphere winter comes to a close and an Omicron variant epidemic begins to diminish. The number of cases in New Zealand has dropped to its lowest level since February.
As we proceed confidently, the elimination of the COVID-19 Protection Framework will result in:
Except in healthcare environments like hospitals, GP offices, and senior residential care institutions, there are no mask wearing restrictions.
— New Zealand Labour (@nzlabour) September 12, 2022
If they test positive, all New Zealanders aged 65 and older, as well as Mori and Pacific peoples aged 50 and older, will automatically have access to COVID anti-virals.
Find out more about these changes: https://t.co/UUSbdTdwXv
— New Zealand Labour (@nzlabour) September 12, 2022
According to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, “the reforms we’ve taken today are substantial and they reflect a milestone in our response.”
“This is a period when we finally regain control over what happens to us, our lives, and our futures, rather than feeling like COVID decides what happens to us.”
According to her, the adjustments would stimulate corporate activity, which is essential for the country’s economic revival.
What if questions won’t arise this summer for the first time in three years, according to Ardern.
The elimination of official regulations won’t prevent certain companies or businesses from enforcing their own standards, but most people anticipate a sharp decline in mask use after those limitations are lifted shortly before midnight on Monday.
After sealing its borders and carefully tracing patients’ contacts, New Zealand had some initial success in its fight against the epidemic. It was able to completely eradicate the virus. But when more transmissible varieties proved difficult to eradicate, its strategy altered.
Only 65 viral fatalities have been reported in the 5 million person nation as of March. That number has nearly doubled to 2,000 after an omicron wave began to take hold. But when compared to the death rates in many other nations, that still seems modest.
