SYDNEY: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has canceled her wedding as the nation imposes new restrictions to curb the community spread of the Omicron variant of Covid19, she told reporters.
New Zealand will impose face mask rules and limit gatherings from Sunday midnight after a group of nine cases of the omicron variant showed community transmission from the North to South Islands following a wedding.
A family flew in from Auckland, the capital of the North Island, to a South Island wedding attended by 100 people. The family and a flight attendant tested positive.
New Zealand would move to a red configuration as part of its Covid19 protection framework, with more mask use and a limit of 100 indoor customers at pubs and events such as weddings, or 25 people if venues are not using vaccination cards, Ardern said.
“My wedding will not take place,” she told reporters, adding that she felt sorry for everyone who was in a similar situation.
When asked by reporters how she felt about the cancellation of her wedding, Ardern replied: “That’s life.” she added: “I’m no different, dare I say it, to thousands of other New Zealanders who have suffered much more devastating effects of the pandemic, the most devastating of which is the inability to be with a loved one at times when they are seriously ill. That will far outweigh any sadness you experience.”
New Zealand’s borders have been closed to foreigners since March 2020. The government delayed plans for a phased reopening from mid-January to late February amid concerns about a possible Omicron-like outbreak in neighboring Australia. people who can travel to New Zealand under limited exceptions must apply to stay in government quarantine facilities.
Last week, the government stopped allocating new slots due to a sharp increase in the number of people arriving with Omicron. Around 94% of the New Zealand population over the age of 12 is fully vaccinated and around 56% of those eligible have received booster shots.