New Zeal in New Zealand, one of the first Corona Free country

Radhika Bansal, Ground Report:

Amid all the negativity around COVID-19 pandemic in the world, here comes positive news from NEW ZEALAND being corona free. New Zealand had reported 1,154 infections and 22 deaths from COVID-19 since the virus arrived in late February. Health officials said that the last known infected person had recovered in New Zealand and it has been 17 days since the last new case was reported.

New Zealand has lifted almost all of its coronavirus restrictions after reporting no active cases in the country. New Zealand, a nation of 5 million (50 lakh), lifted all social and economic restrictions except border controls after declaring on Monday it was free of the coronavirus, one of the first countries in the world to return to pre-pandemic reality.

Under the new rules, all schools and workplaces can open. Weddings, funerals and public transport can resume without any restrictions. Social distancing is no longer required but will be encouraged. Public and private events, retail, and the hospitality industry were now allowed to resume their works without restrictions.

The country's borders remain closed to foreign travelers, and rules remain in place requiring New Zealanders arriving from abroad to go through 14 days of isolation or quarantine.

PM Jacinda Ardern told in her news conference “While the job is not done, there is no denying this is a milestone … Thank You New Zealand.”

She added announcing the social distance restrictions would end at midnight, “Its 75 days of restrictions included about 7 weeks of strict lockdown in which most businesses were shut and everyone except essential workers had to stay home. Today 75 days later we are ready.” She also did a ‘little dance’ with her daughter to celebrate this victory.

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