After 17 consecutive days without a new case of COVID-19, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that New Zealand would move to Alert Level 1 at midnight on Monday, June 8.
Ardern said in a press conference that the country has been in a COVID-19 Alert Level of any kind for 75 days and we currently have no active cases.
“Our team of five million has both sacrifice and achieved in a huge amount in just under 11 weeks,” she said.
In Alert Level 1, everyone in New Zealand can return to work, school, sports and domestic travel without restriction.
There are no longer restrictions on bars, hospitality venues or gathering sizes.
Controls at the borders remain for those entering New Zealand, including health screening and testing for all arrivals, and mandatory 14 day managed quarantine or isolation.
Ardern said the decision was made to move to Alert Level 1 without the usual 48 hour notice period because no new restrictions are required for it to be implemented.
“At level one we become one of the most open economies in the world,” she said.
Ardern said that we have reached or goal of returning to Level 1, “let’s make our next goal supporting the economy.”
“I encourage you to buy, play and experience New Zealand-made.”
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