New Zealand is aiming for a sense of normalcy beyond the omicron peak with a set of looser Covid restrictions, Justin Giovannetti writes in The Bulletin.
Most Covid-19 rules scrapped as government adopts a pared-down traffic light system.
Jacinda Ardern unveiled loosened Covid restrictions yesterday that will roll out over the coming days. From Saturday morning, QR code scanning and outdoor gathering limits are gone—but keep the app for bluetooth. In early April, vaccine passes and most mandates end. The Spinoff’s live updates has summarised the announcement and the simplified traffic light system. Continued wearing of face masks indoors will do most of the heavy lifting for the Covid response going forward, along with boosters for the New Zealanders who haven’t had them yet. The prime minister said that while the country’s Covid response has been successful, it was “bloody hard”.
Some vaccine mandates will remain, companies can choose to require vaccination.
Health workers, people in aged care homes, Corrections staff, as well as border workers will remain covered by the government’s vaccine mandate. Teachers, soldiers and police will no longer need to get two doses by default. Those in the hospitality industry covered by mandates will also no longer need vaccines from April 5. 1News has looked more closely at the mandate decision and what it means for workers. A public health group chaired by Sir David Skegg advised the government that certain vaccine mandates could be dropped after omicron’s peak, which is why the mandates will remain until April. RNZ reports that schools have been told they can continue to require vaccines.
The reaction has been mixed, with disappointment at both ends of the spectrum.
Hospitality businesses told RNZ that the government is being too slow and didn’t go far enough. They said they want a move to the orange setting, along with the end to physical distancing rules. The government will review the traffic light setting on April 4. Retail NZ told Stuff it would like the mask rules revoked and worries staff will face aggression. National supported the move, but said the government should provide a timeline for dropping all mandates. Act said Ardern was too timid and the traffic light system should be abolished. The Green Party opposes the new rules and say they put vulnerable communities at risk. The prime minister acknowledged that Māori advisors were uncomfortable with the changes, 1News reports.
Disappointment from Siouxsie Wiles.
Over 500,000 New Zealanders have been confirmed Covid cases, but the actual number could be above 1.7 million according to modelling. The vast majority have occurred over the past month. Omicron has been an incredibly infectious virus and elimination now seems “impossible” anywhere in the world, according to associate health minister Ayesha Verrall. There will be future waves of Covid-19 and all of the measures being scrapped now could return. Here’s what Siouxsie Wiles told the Science Media Centre about yesterday’s changes:
“I’m relieved that not all of our protections have been dropped. The data from overseas is really clear—those countries that have dropped restrictions as their omicron wave was subsiding are now experiencing another wave. For that reason, I am relieved to see masks stay…
But, I am disappointed with parts of the announcement. There was a lot of talk of things being safer now Auckland is coming out of this omicron peak, but safer for who? Certainly not everybody. We know that being boosted helps reduce transmission of this virus so upgrading vaccine passes to include the booster would have helped keep indoor environments safer for the more at-risk members of our community. Similarly, removing vaccine mandates for people working with our children who can’t yet be vaccinated makes me very nervous.”