Coronavirus: Schools to open as Ardern relaxes Kiwi clampdown

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced plans to lessen New Zealand’s lockdown restrictions from next week.

Jacinda Ardern on Monday announces the shift from level four to level three restrictions. Picture: AP

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has pleaded with New Zealanders to maintain their vigilance against COVID-19 while announcing plans to lessen her country’s lockdown restrictions from next week.

After a month under a severe clampdown, New Zealand will move from level four restrictions to level three next Tuesday, which will continue for a fortnight.

The decision was taken at a crunch meeting of cabinet, where Ms Ardern said she felt confident there was no widespread community transmission of coronavirus. She paid tribute to Kiwis who had maintained physical distancing and made sacrifices during the clampdown.

“The effort of our team of five million has broken the chain of transmission,” she said.

Ms Ardern said cabinet’s decision was unanimously supported, and followed the recommendation of top health adviser Ashley Bloomfield. Under the shift, schools resume classes, more businesses will function and restaurants will reopen for deliveries only.

New Zealand moved to lockdown on March 23 off the back of just 102 cases. Ms Ardern has been steadfast in her belief that eradicating the disease would allow the best economic response. “Alert level three allows more economic activity, like construction, manufacturing and forestry, but it does not allow more social activity. And for good reason,” she said. “The worst thing we could do would be to yo-yo between levels with all the uncertainty that can bring.”

During the back half of the lockdown, New Zealand’s case numbers have plummeted from a daily high of 89 cases to single digits. On Monday, Kiwi health officials announced nine new cases, bringing the nationwide tally to 1440. With no deaths in the previous 24 hours, the country’s death toll stood at 12.

AAP