AUS
NZ
UK
CA
USA
IND
Summary
- NZ informed about 3 new coronavirus cases in Auckland, which have been acquired locally.
- This pushed the city to a strict lockdown with Level 3 restrictions.
- The vaccination in NZ is set to begin from 20 February 2021 after Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine came up earlier than expected.
On 14 February, New Zealand reported 3 new locally acquired coronavirus incidents in Auckland, putting the city into a 3-day lockdown. The largest city in NZ went into lockdown on 14 February with the rest of the country set at Alert Level 2.
Jacinda Ardern, NZ Prime Minister, in a news conference in Wellington stated that level 3 restrictions would be reinstated in the city. Level 3 controls require everyone to stay at home except for essential shopping and work. She stated that NZ had pursued a careful strategy in virtually eliminating the virus in 2020.
Source: © Terovesalainen | Megapixl.com
Ardern announced that while schools would remain open for children whose parents needed to work but otherwise students should have stayed at home. Pharmacies and supermarkets will remain open while other businesses that need face-to-face interactions would close down.
The country for about 2 months didn’t witness any local infection till 24 January 2021.
As per Chris Hipkins, NZ minister for COVID-19 response, stated that the 3 cases were a couple and their daughter in Auckland. He also added that genomic testing was being conducted to see if the family’s infection was connected with some highly infectious variants.
He noted that the government was collecting all the facts and the system was gearing up for action.
Australia suspends quarantine-free travel with NZ
Australia halted the quarantine-free travel with NZ after the news of new cases of coronavirus in the country. Paul Kelly Chief Medical Officer of Australia called an urgent meeting on 14 February with the chief health officers from NSW, Queensland and Victoria.
It was decided in the meeting that all flights originating in NZ would be categorized as Red Zone flights for a preliminary period of 72 hours from 15 February. Subsequently, all people on such flights that originate within this 3-day period will have to undergo 14 days of supervised hotel quarantine.
The travel bubble was set so that Kiwis could reach Australia without spending 14 days in a hotel while quarantine was compulsory for people travelling in the other direction.
Vaccinations to begin
On 12 February, government announced that NZ’s first coronavirus vaccines would come in the country about one month before the scheduled time period in March 2021. The vaccinations will start on 20 February.
TO KNOW MORE: NZ to commence COVID-19 vaccinations from 20 February: Ardern
Jacinda revealed that several vials of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine would be coming in early while border workers would be the first to get vaccinated. This would be supported by the vaccination of their household contacts, then health care workers and those most at risk from COVID-19 in the second quarter. However, vaccination for the wider population would start in the second half of 2021.
Source: © Sherryyates | Megapixl.com
NZ has ordered about 1.5 million doses of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine from 4 different vaccine providers.
US, UK and many parts of Europe have implemented mass vaccination programmes that has also resulted in NZ to face some criticism on why the country had to face.
