Kia ora John,



Today we reached a major milestone in our COVID-19 journey, and I wanted to make sure you didn’t miss the news. I’ll talk more about what this means for you below, but if you’re short on time, you can read all the details here <[link removed]>.



For more than two years, New Zealanders have lived with measures to control COVID-19, and there’s no question these efforts have saved thousands of lives.



While they weren’t always easy, these measures did the job we needed. They kept people alive and safe - and now we’re in a position to move forward with greater confidence and certainty.



Today, our Government announced the end of the traffic light system. If you missed our update, here’s a quick recap of the announcement.



From midnight tonight:



- The COVID-19 Protection Framework, also known as the traffic light system, will be removed.

- All mask wearing requirements will be removed, except in healthcare and aged care settings.

- Only people who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate. Household contacts no longer need to isolate, so long as they test negative.

- All New Zealanders aged 65 and over, and Māori and Pacific peoples aged 50 and over, will have automatic access to COVID-19 antivirals if they test positive.



All remaining Government vaccine mandates will end on 26 September 2022, and vaccination requirements for all travellers arriving into New Zealand will also be removed. 



That’s a very brief overview of today’s changes, so for the full update, you can read more here <[link removed]>, or you can watch the full press conference here <[link removed]>.



This is a significant moment in our response. For the first time since 2020, we can look forward to summer with certainty, a summer where events won’t be cancelled because of COVID and our borders are fully reopened. 



However, I know there will be some people who may feel concerned by these changes, and I want to assure you that we would not be taking this step if we did not believe we were ready.



The most recent health advice shows case numbers and hospitalisations are at their lowest since February. Our communities are well vaccinated, and we’ve just doubled the number of people who can access antiviral medicines, with 40,000 extra courses due to arrive in the country in the next few days. 



Of course, this pandemic was never one to be taken on alone, and it’s taken a team effort to get to this point. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for your hard work and sacrifices over the past few years. These efforts have made a real difference.



Finally, you might have also heard that to mark the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, a state memorial service and a one-off public holiday will be held on Monday 26 September. 



I know many people will want the opportunity to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth, and a public holiday offers everyone the opportunity to come together and pay tribute at local events. More details about the state memorial service will be released shortly, so watch this space.



Until then, thank you once again for everything you’ve done to keep our communities safe over the past 927 days - the duration of the pandemic to date. If you have any further questions on today’s announcement, you can read more here <[link removed]>. 



Thanks,

Jacinda









----------

This email was sent to [email protected]. Update your details here: [link removed]

Receiving emails from Labour is the best way to stay up to date, but if you want to unsubscribe: [link removed]

You can also keep in touch by following us on Facebook ([link removed]), Twitter ([link removed]) & Instagram ([link removed]).

----------

Authorised by Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington.