Auckland will remain at alert level 3 at the current step one restrictions for at least the next two weeks, Jacinda Ardern announced in the post-cabinet conference on Monday.
Northland will move to alert level 2 from 11:59 pm on Tuesday 19 October. The Waikato will remain in alert level 3, which will be reviewed on Friday 22 October.
Today marks 62 days of lockdown restrictions for the Auckland region. Ardern says the goal is to keep cases low while increasing vaccination rates.
On Friday 22 October, the government will announce details around a new Covid Protection Framework, also being referred to as a ‘traffic light system’. This will include details of vaccination targets to meet before moving into the framework and how vaccine certificates will be used.
“We know that in the future we cannot ask people to live week by week, not knowing when things will change or how to help things speed up,” said Ardern. “We know that needs to change and we have a plan on how.”
Ardern did not reveal the vaccination target, but said it would be very high.
“New Zealand can be one of the few countries in the world to get to high rates of vaccination without the human and economic carnage it has inflicted on so many other countries. It is possible, and I know we can do it.”
The push for vaccination in the ‘Super Saturday’ event saw 130,000 get vaccinated. Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said Auckland is expected to reach between 80-85% double vaccinated in the next two weeks.
