New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday that she did not want to use lockdowns in future in New Zealand. New Zealand is one of the least affected countries across the world from the Covid pandemic. It has recorded 4135 cases with 27 deaths and 3819 recoveries so far.
News agency Reuters, reported that according to the Prime Minister, if the rate of vaccination among its citizens rose to above 90%, then the Covid-induced lockdown would be lifted.
Ardern’s administration had managed to eliminate the coronavirus disease from the country in 2020 until the Delta variant of the virus was detected in August. The country had been virus-free and free of lockdowns till then.
According to reports, Auckland, a large metropolitan city in New Zealand, was placed under level-3 lockdown on Monday. New Zealand had implemented a four-tier system of Covid-19 regulations
Under the lockdown regulations, only some of the businesses like restaurants and retail outlets were allowed be open. Strict contactless collection methods and work from home rules were implemented by the authorities.
Prime Minister Ardern had said on Thursday that the lockdowns will be replaced by vaccine mandates as the main tool against Covid-19 pandemic. The highest vaccination rates would give the country freedom from further lockdowns, she added.
At the present, only 45% of the citizens were fully vaccinated and 75% had taken the first dose. Prime Minister Ardern said that vaccination was the golden ticket for the country to navigate through the pandemic.
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