New Zealand to remove pandemic mandates as omicron wanes

WELLINGTON MARCH 23 (US): New Zealand will remove several mandates for the COVID-19 pandemic over the next two weeks as the omicron variant outbreak begins.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday that people will no longer need to be vaccinated to visit places such as retail stores, restaurants and bars from April 4.

The mandate for the vaccine will be rescinded for some workers including teachers, police officers and waiters although it continues for health care, aged care workers, border workers and corrections officers.

Also, from Friday, the limit on the number of outdoor crowds of 100 has disappeared. This will allow the resumption of some concerts and major sporting events such as marathons. The indoor limit of 100 people will be raised to 200 people, and it can be completely removed later.

Staying in place is a requirement for people to wear masks in many enclosed spaces, including in stores and on public transportation, and for children aged 8 and over, in classrooms.

Ardern said the government’s actions over the past two years to curb the spread of the coronavirus have saved thousands of lives and helped the economy, the Associated Press reported.

“But while we were successful, it was really tough,” Ardern said.

“Everyone had to give up something to make this work, and some more than others,” she said.

The changes mean that many restrictions will be removed before tourists begin returning to New Zealand.

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New Zealand continues to see some of the highest rates of coronavirus infection and hospitalizations since the pandemic began, with an average of 17,000 new infections reported each day.

But Ardern said modeling shows that Auckland’s largest city has already passed the peak of the Omicron outbreak and the rest of the country will soon follow.

Health experts have warned that some countries that lifted restrictions as Omicron faded are now seeing another wave of cases.


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