New Zealand Removes Remaining COVID-19 Restrictions

The New Zealand Government recently announced it was removing the remaining COVID-19 public health requirements.

Minister of Health Dr. Ayesha Verrall commented in a press release on August 14, 2023, ....While fluctuations from week to week are expected, overall COVID-19 case rates, wastewater levels, and hospitalizations have been trending downwards since the beginning of June 2023. And over the past month, reported COVID-19 cases have hit their lowest levels since February 2022.

.... and it’s safe to remove the final requirements.

COVID-19 cases accounted for 2.2% of recent hospital admissions, and New Zealand has now likely passed the winter influenza peak.

“While our case numbers will continue to fluctuate, we have not seen the dramatic peaks that characterized COVID-19 rates last year,” said Verrall, an infectious diseases doctor and Labour list MP from Wellington.