Auckland's path out of lockdown - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern unveils COVID Protection Framework

  • 22/10/2021

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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is unveiling the Government's new COVID Protection Framework, which is expected to replace the alert level system, taking vaccination rates into consideration. 

The new COVID Protection Framework is expected to give Aucklanders some certainty about when their city's lockdown restrictions could ease, based on vaccination rates. 

Nearly 90 percent of eligible Aucklanders have had one dose of the Pfizer vaccine, compared to 74 percent who are fully vaccinated. As for New Zealand as a whole, 68.2 percent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson is also unveiling additional financial support for businesses, after Auckland's more than two months in lockdown - nine weeks of closed shops, bars and restaurants. 

Ardern and Robertson will be joined by COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Associate Health Minister for Māori Peeni Henare. 

The Ministry of Health registered 102 community cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, 94 in Auckland and eight in Waikato, after reporting 60 on Wednesday cases and 94 cases on Tuesday. 

Watch the video.