New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s wedding has been postponed as the country implements new restrictions to curb the spread of the Omicron coronavirus type in the population.
The “red setting” of the country’s pandemic response includes more stringent measures including mask use and gathering restrictions, which will take effect on Monday.
The prime minister was rumoured to be getting married soon to her longtime partner, fishing show host Clarke Gayford.
“I’m just joining many other New Zealanders who have had similar experiences as a result of the pandemic, and I’m really sorry to anyone who has been caught up in that scenario,” she said.
The number of individuals allowed in indoor hospitality establishments such as pubs and restaurants, as well as events such as weddings, will be limited to 100. If venues do not use immunisation passes, the limit is reduced to 25.
“Red is not lockdown,” Ardern emphasised, emphasising that businesses may continue to operate and that people can visit family and friends and travel freely across the nation.
“Our plan for managing Omicron cases in the early stages remains the same as Delta,” Ardern told reporters in Wellington on Sunday. “We will promptly test, contact trace, and isolate cases and contacts in order to slow the spread.”
New Zealand has been one of the few countries to keep free of Omicron outbreaks, but Ardern admitted last week that an pandemic was unavoidable due to the variant’s high transmissibility.
With an average of around 20 new cases per day, the country has managed to restrict the spread of the Delta strain.
Approximately 93 percent of New Zealanders aged 12 and up have been completely vaccinated, with 52 percent having received a booster dose. The country has only recently began immunising youngsters from 5 to 11 years old.
