WELLINGTON Dec 3 (US): Bars, restaurants and gyms reopened in Auckland on Friday as the last major parts of the 100-day-long shutdown ended.
New Zealand has begun a new phase in its coronavirus response in which there will be no lockdown but people will be required to fully vaccinate – and prove this through vaccine permits – in order to access many services, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
The government decided vaccination rates were high enough to transition to the new system, with about 87% of people aged 12 or older vaccinated. In Auckland, which has been the epicenter of the country’s outbreak, the rate has exceeded 90%.
The threat posed by new alternative omicron has not altered reopening plans, after New Zealand on Sunday imposed travel restrictions from nine South African countries. No cases of omicron have been found in New Zealand and officials remain confident that cases will be caught at the border by the quarantine system.
On Friday, a sense of excitement reigned among patrons in Auckland, some of whom visited the bars the moment they were allowed to open in the middle of the night.
There is a sense of relief from many business owners, who will be trying to make the most of the next two weeks before Christmas, said Michael Barnett, chief executive of the Auckland Chamber of Business.
He said many owners are trying to fit in with new obligations to check vaccine permits.
“There were a lot of questions, more than anything,” Barnett said. Questions about “How do I work? What do I do? What do I ask? It has been a relaxing day for many companies”.
Some restrictions remain. Auckland’s border with the rest of the country wasn’t reopened until mid-December.
The new “traffic lights” system is designed to indicate places where an outbreak is putting pressure on the health system. The green designation imposes few restrictions, orange requires more mask wearing and spacing, and red requires sizes of 100 or less.
Auckland and a few other areas started at the red light while the rest of the country started at orange. The government hopes to move Auckland to orange soon.
NS