New Zealand has formally entered the post-pandemic era as the Government shifts covid-19 into business as usual

The Government has removed the last remaining Covid-19 restrictions as the risk posed by the virus has diminished to a manageable level. 

Health Minister Ayesha Verrall said public health officials had advised it was safe to scrap the final Covid restrictions: a week of isolation and wearing face masks in health facilities.

“While our case numbers will continue to fluctuate, we have not seen the dramatic peaks that characterised Covid-19 rates last year,” she said in a statement.

“This, paired with the population’s immunity levels, means Cabinet and I am advised we’re positioned to safely remove the remaining Covid-19 requirements”. 

While it is no longer mandatory, people who are unwell with any type of infectious virus are encouraged to stay at home for five days. 

Mask wearing will also still be encouraged, particularly in hospitals and medical centres, as they help to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses.

Verrall said NZ management of the pandemic has moved from an emergency response to sustainable long-term management.

Michael Baker, an epidemiologist, said Covid-19 had become more predictable and was transitioning into what the industry calls an endemic threat. 

“Generally,  we’d say something moves from a pandemic to an epidemic when it becomes a stable threat,” he said. 

The World Health Organisation said Covid was no longer a global health emergency in May earlier this year. 

However, it still remains a problem in New Zealand. About 140 people are hospitalised every week and roughly 10 die. 

Baker said hospitals should maintain the mask-wearing rule, even after it stops being mandatory, and people who are sick should stay home. 

But vaccination and herd immunity, from the outbreak in 2022, means the virus no longer poses the serious risk that it did when it first arrived in New Zealand.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins thanked Aucklanders for “doing the heavy lifting” in delaying big outbreaks of Covid until most of the population could be vaccinated. 

“While there were no doubt fractures in our collective sense of unity, I believe that New Zealanders can be enormously proud of what we achieved together,” he said.

“We stayed home, we made sacrifices, we got vaccinated, and there is absolutely no question that we saved lives”

Lifting these last restrictions was the “formal end” of a challenging few years. 

“There were times during the peak of our Covid response when I longed for this particular day. The weight of the enormous decisions we took sat heavily,” he said. 

“I have to confess that as I’m announcing it today, it seems like a bit of an anti-climax”.