New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was forced to cancel her wedding as the government enforced new restrictions as infections of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 virus in the country were reported.
The Prime Minister announced the restrictions on Sunday that will attempt to control the spread of the virus through the wearing of masks and limited gatherings, as per Reuters.
Ardern told the media that nine persons in Motueka got infected with Omicron. According to a New Zealand Herald report, the infected individuals attended a wedding in Aukland on January 13. They also went to a funeral, an amusement park, and the Sky Tower. Authorities estimate that over 100 people were present in the events.
Prime Minister Ardern confirmed that Omicron, a highly contagious but mild variant of COVID-19, has spread in Auckland and possibly the Nelson area, which prompted the decision to impose restrictions, the New Zealand Herald reported.
Under its COVID-19 protection structure, New Zealand will impose a red setting that will increase mask-wearing, while bars, restaurants, and other indoor events will be limited to 100 people. If venues do not require vaccine passes, the cap will be downsized to 25 people.
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Gayford-Ardern Wedding Cancelled
Due to the necessary restrictions, Ardern announced that she would postpone her wedding with her longtime partner and show host Clarke Gayford.
"My wedding will not be going ahead," she told the press, followed by the acknowledgment of the "more devastating impacts" of the ongoing pandemic to many New Zealanders, especially those who cannot be around with a seriously ill loved one.
"That will far, far outstrip any sadness I experience," said Ardern, who did not disclose the new possible date of her wedding.
No Lockdowns for New Zealand
Earlier, New Zealand announced that it would not implement lockdowns that it imposed in previous outbreaks of COVID-19's previous variants. However, Ardern said, the government is open to changes. "That is going to make it harder to keep it out, but it will also make it more challenging to control once it arrives. But just like before, when COVID changes, we change."
Ardern stated that New Zealand would go into "red" status within 24 to 48 hours after Omicron was detected in the population. Businesses would continue to operate, domestic travel would stay open, but schools would require students to wear protective masks, and crowds would be limited to 100 people, as per AP News.
During the outbreak of the Delta variant, the nation has managed the spread of the disease with an average of 20 new cases daily per day.
Though, the number of Omicron-infected individuals arriving in New Zealand has increased. They were placed under mandatory quarantine.
However, Opposition leader Christopher Luxon criticizes Ardern for planning poorly in managing the impact of the pandemic in the country and for the low distribution of the COVID-19 test.
But Ardern believes that the best thing that people could do to protect themselves from Omicron was to get a booster shot to bring down the risk of a severe case of infection and hospitalization.
Being vaccinated also allows most people to recover at home instead of getting admitted to a medical facility.
