New Zealand lifts lockdown in Auckland after 107 days; adopts new COVID approach

New Zealand's largest city Auckland has lifted COVID lockdown after 107 days, bringing comfort to its citizens but also signaling the potential spread of COVID-19 throughout the country. Cafes, pubs, and restaurants in Auckland reopened on December 3 for the first time since August 17, but only to vaccinated visitors, as the government's new COVID Protection Framework went into force across the country.

The so-called traffic light system attempts to eliminate lockdowns and allow vaccinated individuals to go about their daily lives normally, with minimal limitations such as wearing a mask and gathering limits, based on the danger level in each region.

Auckland has been the epicentre of COVID Delta strain outbreak. Since the administration was unable to control the outbreak, it put the city on lockdown, while rushing to vaccinate as many people as possible in order to reduce the virus' impact.

Inoculated Aucklanders will be able to travel for Christmas after the border restrictions around the city are lifted on December 15. Vaccinated persons can download a vaccine certificate on their phones, which they must show while entering public places and other close-contact locations like gyms. However, basic services like supermarkets and pharmacies do not have any restrictions.

Chris Hipkins, Covid-19 Response Minister in a coversation with Radio New Zealand, said, "Life is going to start to feel a lot more normal for those people who have been subject to restrictions. Most people will be able to go about their life as normal with a vaccine certificate. Covid is going to spread around the country."

NZ's 86% eligible population fully vaccinated

Approximately 86% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated, with some localities exceeding that figure. There is concern that outbreaks will occur among the most vulnerable people as Aucklanders go to areas where vaccination rates are still low. However, New Zealand's economy should benefit from the relaxation of limitations in Auckland, as, the city is home to a third of the country's five million residents and creates a third of the country's gross domestic output.

Today, 92 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in New Zealand. Out of which, 80 were reported in Auckland, two in Waikato, one in Northland, five in Bay of Plenty, one in Lakes, one in Nelson, and two in Taranaki.

According to officials, employees who are covered by the My Vaccine Pass obligation, must get their first shot by December 3 and be fully vaccinated by January 17. Reportedly, New Zealand's international borders will reopen in January, and fully vaccinated Kiwis will be able to travel home from Australia without the need for MIQ from January 17.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: AP