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New Zealand removes final COVID-19 restrictions

14 August 2023 09:24 (UTC +04:00)

New Zealand's government will lift all remaining COVID-19 requirements from midnight Tuesday, ending some of the toughest COVID-19 pandemic rules in the world more than three years after they were put in place, APA reports citing Reuters.

Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall said in a statement on Monday that from Tuesday people will no longer have to wear a face mask in health care facilities or isolate for seven days after contracting the virus.

“While our case numbers will continue to fluctuate, we have not seen the dramatic peaks that characterized COVID-19 rates last year. This, paired with the population’s immunity levels, means Cabinet and I am advised we’re positioned to remove the remaining COVID-19 requirements safely,” Verrall said.

Most restrictions were removed last year as vaccination rates reached high levels and the country’s hospitals successfully navigated a winter without being overwhelmed.