(Bloomberg) -- New Zealand will begin to phase out its remaining Covid-19 restrictions as the country's omicron outbreak shows signs of having peaked, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.
“It's now safe to ease the restrictions that have successfully prevented widespread health and economic damage,” Ardern told a news conference Wednesday in Wellington. “The evidence shows we are coming off the omicron peak with cases in Auckland having already declined significantly, and a decline expected nationally by early April.”
Easing gathering limits and removing the need for vaccine passes may boost the struggling hospitality sector and make the country more attractive to tourists as it prepares to throw open its border in coming weeks. While the omicron outbreak continues to run rife, with more than 20,000 new cases reported yesterday, Ardern said infections are expected to trend lower and New Zealand's high vaccination rates leave it well placed to cope.
From midnight Friday, outdoor gathering limits will be lifted and indoor limits raised to 200 from 100, and people won't need to scan QR codes when they enter premises to track their virus exposure. From April 4, vaccine passes will no longer be required to enter hospitality and other venues.
Vaccine mandates will be removed for education and police workers, but retained for those in the health, aged care, corrections and border workforces.
“These new settings support greater economic activity and get everyone closer to feeling a bit more normal,” Ardern said. “Our Covid-19 restrictions have been tough, but they have delivered a strong foundation for us to move forward.”
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