In the midst of an outbreak of the Omicron strain, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was forced to cancel off her own wedding on Sunday as she reinforced Covid-19 restrictions.
“My wedding will not take place,” she declared after outlining new limitations, which include a limit of 100 fully vaccinated attendees at gatherings.
“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 discovery of nine cases of Omicron in a family traveling between cities for a wedding, as well as the infection of a flight attendant on one of the planes they went on, prompted New Zealand to implement its “red setting” restrictions beginning at midnight Sunday.
Omicron is significantly more contagious than the Delta variety, but it is less likely to cause serious illness.
Face coverings are now required on public transportation and in stores, in addition to regulating crowd size.
Ardern and her long-term partner Clarke Gayford have yet to announce their wedding date, but it is expected to take place in the coming weeks.
The new limits are expected to last until the end of next month at the earliest.
“Such is life,” Ardern said when asked how she felt about setting regulations that ended her planned nuptials.
“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.”
Since the beginning of the epidemic, New Zealand has identified 15,104 Covid-19 infections and recorded 52 deaths.
For much of the last two years, stringent border controls and emergency lockdowns have been in effect.
