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WELLINGTON: New Zealand will lift coronavirus restrictions across the country on September 21, except for its largest city, Auckland, which is the epicenter of a second wave of infections, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday (September 14). ).
Ardern said Auckland’s restrictions would be reviewed next Monday. He also said the government would immediately ease all physical distance requirements on planes, a boost for Air New Zealand, which has had to limit passengers on its planes for months.
“I know that this change will make a real difference for Air New Zealand and those parts of the country seeking increased numbers of visitors,” Ardern said at a press conference in the South Island city of Dunedin, where he is in a election campaign trip.
Masks will remain mandatory on all public transportation, he said.
READ: Crowds gather in New Zealand’s Auckland against COVID-19 lockdown
New Zealand, a nation of 5 million, appeared to have been successful in stopping community transmission of COVID-19, but a new outbreak in Auckland in August prompted the government to put the city back under lock and key.
Over the weekend, large crowds of people demonstrated in Auckland against the government-imposed social distancing restrictions on the country’s largest city after an outbreak of the coronavirus last month.
Local television footage showed tight crowds, with many people without masks, with estimates of attendance reportedly varying between a thousand and a few thousand people.
“We are all here today because we believe we must defend our rights,” state broadcaster Television New Zealand said, citing Jami-Lee Ross, leader of the Advance New Zealand party, one of the organizers of the protest.
“We are all here today because we believe it is time to stand up and say: ‘We need to regain our rights and freedoms.’
Ardern, which faces a general election on October 17, lowered restrictions this month, but the city is still at alert level 2.5, which means no social gatherings of more than 10 people are allowed.
Ardern’s cabinet will review the current rules for Auckland at its meeting on September 21, with a view to increasing collection limits if the situation remains stable.
That change, if it occurs, will take effect on September 23, he said.
New Zealand reported a new coronavirus case in the community on Monday, bringing the total number of cases to 1,447 and 24 deaths.
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