NZ Omicron outbreak forces Jacinda Ardern to scrap wedding plans

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called off her own wedding as she tightened Covid-19 restrictions in the face of an Omicron outbreak.

‘Such is life’: Jacinda Ardern in Wellington on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was on Sunday forced to call off her own wedding as she tightened Covid-19 restrictions in the face of an outbreak of the Omicron variant.

“My wedding will not be going ahead,” she said after detailing new restrictions; including a limit of 100 fully vaccinated people at events. “I just joined many other New Zealanders who have had an experience like that as a result of the pandemic and to anyone who is caught up in that scenario I am so sorry.”

The emergence of nine cases of Omicron in a family who travelled between cities to attend a wedding, and the infection of a flight attendant on one aircraft they flew on, forced New Zealand to impose its “red setting” restrictions from midnight Sunday. In addition to limiting crowd numbers, face coverings are now mandatory on public transport and in shops.

Ms Ardern and partner Clarke Gayford have never announced their wedding date, but it was believed to be scheduled for some time in the next few weeks. The restrictions are set to remain in place until at least the end of next month. “Such is life,” she said. “I’m no different to thousands of other New Zealanders who have had much more devastating impacts felt by the pandemic, the most gutting of which is the inability to be with a loved one sometimes when they are gravely ill. That will far outstrip any sadness I experience.”

New Zealand has detected 15,104 Covid-19 cases and recorded 52 deaths.

AFP