"jacinda-ardern"

Wellington: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed on Saturday that she had tested positive for COVID-19. “Despite best efforts, unfortunately, I’ve joined the rest of my family and tested positive for COVID-19,” Ardern posted on social media today morning, Xinhua news agency reported. Ardern has been isolated at home with her family since Sunday […]

Ardern said the vaccine was "easier than getting the flu jab", reports Xinhua news agency

The ban will commence on Sunday and will remain in place until April 28, New Zealand Herald reported.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said health officials believe the risk of the virus being transmitted from Australia is low and that travel is now safe.

So far, New Zealand's medical regulators have approved only the Pfizer vaccine and are reviewing two other shots.

The nation's largest city was put into lockdown on Sunday after three unexplained cases were found in the community.

New Zealand had successfully stamped out community spread of the virus, although new cases are regularly caught at the border among returning travellers.

Despite the closure of borders, New Zealand will keep special "tourist bubbles" with Australia and the countries of the Pacific region.

“What has been really at the center of our response has been some fundamentals around testing, contact tracing, isolation,” Ardern said.

Ardern, 40, leveraged her success battling Covid-19 into an unprecedented majority at the October 17 election, leading her centre-left Labour Party to its biggest win since World War II.