New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Thursday that the government would not be imposing a lockdown when Omicron arrives in the country. So far, there have not yet been any reports of Omicron variant infections in New Zealand, but the government has made its stance clear that lockdowns will not be part of the plan.
Ardern said the country would impose some restrictions, and it would be tightening its borders if there is a community transmission. Ardern said that an outbreak of Omicron is inevitable.
Thanks to its isolated geography and its existing restrictions, New Zealand has remained to be one of the few remaining countries that have avoided an outbreak of the new variant of the coronavirus.
Ardern said that when Omicron does arrive in the country, the government will immediately impose a "red traffic light" status within 24 to 48 hours upon detection. She added that based on how the virus has been spreading in other countries, she knows that it can take as little as 14 days for the virus to spread to thousands of people.
Under the "red" alert, businesses will still be allowed to remain open, but certain restrictions will be put in place. This will include mandatory mask-wearing for children and some limits on gatherings in public places.
Ardern acknowledged that, unlike previous strains, Omicron is much more transmissible, which means that it will be harder to keep it under control.
Given the inevitability of the spread, Ardern has urged everyone still not vaccinated to get their shots done. She also encouraged those that have been vaccinated to get their booster shots as there is now ample evidence to prove that boosters can help protect against the effects of Omicron.
As of today, about 93% of all eligible adults in New Zealand, namely those aged over 12, are fully vaccinated. However, only about 20% of those vaccinated had received booster shots.
Since March 2020, New Zealand has shut its borders to most foreign travel. The government recently announced that it would be pushing back its planned reopening from mid-January to the end of February. The decision came after an outbreak of Omicron was detected in Australia.
There have already been multiple cases of Omicron detected from returning residents arriving in the country, which has led to New Zealand temporarily halting any new arrivals, even for those who had booked tickets and applied for a place to quarantine at state-managed facilities. The decision has been slammed by many residents who are now unable to go back home.
