Jacinda Ardern puts ALL of New Zealand on highest Covid alert

Jacinda Ardern puts ALL of New Zealand on the highest Covid alert with harsh restrictions coming in TONIGHT after just 84 new cases – as the PM spells out her plan if infections rise to the thousands

• The whole of New Zealand will move to red traffic light setting from midnight   

By Brett Lackey For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 22:25 GMT, 22 January 2022 | Updated: 22:49 GMT, 22 January 2022

Jacinda Ardern has placed the whole of New Zealand under the highest Covid alert setting after just 84 new cases in the country.

The red traffic light setting will begin from midnight on Sunday to manage the spread of the Omicron variant.

‘Omicron is now circulating in Auckland and possibly the Nelson area, if not further,’ Ms Ardern said on Sunday.

Red is the highest level on New Zealand’s traffic light system but stops short of a lockdown with domestic travel allowed to continue and businesses can remain open with significant restrictions.  

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (pictured) has confirmed all of New Zealand will be under the red traffic light setting from midnight on Sunday

‘Even if your part of country doesn’t yet have Omicrom yet, the evidence from overseas is that it moves very quickly,’ Ms Ardern said.

‘Our goal at red is to slow the spread of the virus with more mask wearing and physical distancing precautions.’

Ms Ardern confirmed hospitality businesses can remain open but are capped at 100 customers who all must be seated.

Retail and public places can remain open but also with capacity limits to ensure physical distancing, while offices are encouraged to bring in work from home conditions.

Vaccine passes are legally required to enter venues such as events, gyms and hospitality. 

‘Our intention is for school to return as planned,’ Ms Ardern said.

The Prime Minister said her government is working on a three phase plan to get ahead of the Omicron variant.

Phase one is in place from Monday as cases remain under 1,000 and involves the red traffic setting and encouraging the uptake of booster vaccine doses. 

Ms Ardern said more details on phase two and three will be revealed later in the week but would involved rollout of rapid antigen tests. 

‘One task I explicitly request New Zealanders to undertake as quickly as possible is to get boosted,’ she said.

”This reduces the likelihood of transmission and of going to hospital’.

‘About 56 per cent of the eligible population have already have one booster, we need to get that higher before the virus takes off.’

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