New Zealand’s new restrictions will remain in place until the end of next month.
Wellington:
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Sunday was forced to cancel her own wedding as she tightened Covid-19 restrictions in the wake of the outbreak of the Omicron variant.
“My wedding won’t go ahead,” she confirmed after detailing the new restrictions; including a limit of 100 fully vaccinated people at events.
“I’ve just joined many other New Zealanders who have had an experience like this as a result of the pandemic and for anyone caught up in that prospect, I’m very sorry.”
The emergence of nine cases of Omicron in a family traveling between cities for a wedding, and the infection of a flight attendant on the plane they were flying, has forced New Zealand to impose set “red settings” restrictions from midnight Sunday.
Omicrons are much more transmissible than the previous Delta variant but are less likely to make people very sick.
In addition to limiting crowds, face coverings are now mandatory on public transport and in shops.
Ardern and longtime partner Clarke Gayford have never announced their wedding date, but it is believed they will be scheduled in a few weeks.
The new restrictions will remain in place until at least the end of next month.
“Life is like that,” Ardern said when asked how she felt about setting the rules that ended her planned weddings.
“I’m no different than thousands of other New Zealanders who have suffered impacts far more devastating than the pandemic, the most painful of which is sometimes not being able to be with loved ones when they are seriously ill. That would far outweigh any sadness I experienced.”
New Zealand has detected 15,104 cases of Covid-19 and recorded 52 deaths since the pandemic began.
Strict border restrictions and fast lockdowns have been in place for most of the past two years.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and was automatically generated from the feed provided.)
