New Zealand to forgo “zero covid” strategy to start living with virus after Delta variant outbreak

The Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern admitted on Monday that New Zealand’s widely hailed “zero covid” strategy had failed to stop the persistent coronavirus outbreak in Auckland. and say that a new approach was needed.

The hard-line policy had largely protected the country from the pandemic, and residents enjoyed an almost normal domestic life with strict restrictions at international borders.

Corn the epidemic that triggered the number of covid-19 cases in August, forced the executive to order a quarantine of seven weeks in its main population center, which has failed to stop the increase in infections.

Ardern said that the highly transmissible Delta variant had proven to be a “game changer” that could not be eliminated.

“Even with the long term restrictions that we have had, it is obvious that we have not reached zero“, He added.

Ardern said he would not immediately abandon the coronavirus strategy, but that restrictions in Auckland are said to be relaxed slightly, although the number of new cases has not declined.

He added that the major policy change regarding the goal of completely eradicating the virus was possible because vaccination rates had increased dramatically.

“Hard-line politics were important because we didn’t have vaccines, now we have them, so we can start to change the way we do things “he told reporters.

Auckland will remain with restrictions for now, but the government will conduct weekly reviews program the reintroduction of freedoms.

Residents of the city can meet outdoors in groups of up to 10 people from Wednesday and at Measures such as reopening shops and schools will be considered in the coming weeks.

The rest of the country was allowed out of quarantine in early September.

Before the Auckland epidemic, New Zealand’s covid elimination strategy has been widely praised by bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), with only 27 deaths out of a population of five million.

The Leader of the Opposition Judith Collins said Ardern only came up with a “vague wish list” which she did not outline in a cohesive plan to replace the “zero covid” approach.

(With information from AFP)

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