New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed on Sunday that she called off her wedding as the country tries to contain a new wave of cases of the Ômicron variant.
At a news conference to talk about Covid-19, Ardern said that health officials reported nine cases of Ômicron in a family in the Motueka region. Last weekend, the family traveled to Auckland to attend a wedding, a funeral, visit an amusement park and a tourist attraction, prompting the country to shift to the higher “red light” scenario.
Ardern told reporters: “My wedding is not going to happen, but I join many other New Zealanders who have had an experience like this as a result of the pandemic.”
When asked how she felt about her decision to call off the wedding, which was due to take place this summer, Ardern replied: “That’s life.”
Last month, New Zealand said it was delaying the phased reopening of borders until the end of February, due to concerns over the Ômicron variant.
Chris Hipkins, the country’s Minister for Covid-19 Response, said: “Waiting until the end of February will increase New Zealand’s overall protection and slow the spread of Omicron. There is no doubt that this is disappointing and will derail many vacation plans, but it is important to define these changes clearly today so they can have time to consider those plans.”
Hipkins also said the New Zealand Cabinet agreed to other precautionary measures, including reducing the interval between a second dose of Covid-19 vaccine and a booster dose from six to four months.
Another measure includes increasing the quarantine for travelers returning to the country from seven to 10 days in isolation.
This content was originally created in English.
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Reference: CNN Brasil
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