Wellington: New Zealand, bars, restaurants and a fitness center opened back in Auckland on Friday as the last main part of the lock which lasted more than 100 days ended.
New Zealand has started a new phase in the corronavirus response where there will be no lock but people will be asked to be fully vaccinated – and prove it through vaccines – to access many services.
The government decided that the vaccination rate was high enough to move to the new system, with around 87% of people aged 12 years and over.
In Auckland, which has been in the center of the nation’s outbreak, the tariff is more than 90%.
The threat caused by the new Omicron variant did not change the plan for the reopening, after New Zealand on Sunday limited the journey of nine South African countries.
There are no cases of omicrons found in New Zealand and officials remain confident will be arrested on the border with quarantine systems.
On Friday, there was a feeling of joy among the visitors in Auckland, some of them visited the bar when they were allowed to open at midnight.
Michael Barnett, Chief Executive of the Business Auckland room, said there was a sense of relief for many business owners, who would try to take advantage of the next few weeks before Christmas.
He said many owners tried to make peace with new obligations to check the vaccine trajectory.
“There are many questions, more than anything,” Barnett said.
“Questions about ‘How do I operate? What should I do? What did I ask for?’ It is a day under the day for many businesses.
“Some restrictions are still left.
Auckland’s border throughout the country was not reopened until mid-December.
The new “traffic light” system is designed to show where the plague places pressure on the health system.
Green appointments impose multiple restrictions, oranges need more masks wearing and distance, and red limit size up to 100 people or less.
Auckland and some other regions have begun at red lights while other countries have begun by orange.
The government hopes to immediately move Auckland.