New Zealand will abandon its “zero-Covid” strategy to start coexisting with the virus after the outbreak of the delta variable

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern acknowledged Monday that New Zealand’s widely hailed ‘no covid’ strategy has failed to stem the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in Auckland. He said that A new approach is needed.

The strict removal policy has largely protected the country from the epidemic, and Residents enjoyed a semi-normal home life with strict restrictions at international borders.

but The outbreak that caused the number of COVID-19 cases in August forced the Executive to decree a seven-week quarantine in its main population centre, which failed to stem the increase in infections.

Ardern said so The highly transmissible delta variant has proven to be a “game-changing factor” that cannot be eliminated.

“Even with the long-term constraints we had, We obviously didn’t get to zero“he added.

Ardern said he would not immediately abandon the strategy to combat the coronavirus, but that Restrictions in Auckland will be eased slightly, although the number of new cases has not decreased.

He added that a major change in policy regarding the goal of total eradication of the virus was possible because Vaccination rates have increased dramatically.

“The hard-line policy was important because we didn’t have vaccines, and now we have, So we can start changing the way we do things.”He told reporters.

Auckland will remain with restrictions for now, but The government will conduct weekly reviews For programming re-enter liberties.

City residents can meet outdoors in groups of up to 10 people starting 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 outbreak of Auckland, Authorities such as the World Health Organization (WHO) have praised New Zealand’s strategy to get rid of COVID-19, With only 27 deaths out of five million people.

opposition leader Judith Collins said Ardern only offered a “vague wish list” that she failed to outline in a coherent plan to replace the “zero Covid” approach.

(With information from AFP)

Read on: