Australian tourism reacts to February 21 border reopening with joy, trepidation

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has sent a message to vaccinated New Zealanders after anti-mandate protesters descended on Parliament: that these people aren't representative of the majority of Kiwis and "this too will pass".

 

I know today at 1pm, 31,000 people had gone out and been vaccinated, and so I think it would be wrong to, in any way, characterise what we've seen outside as a representation of the majority," she said.

 

"The majority of New Zealanders have done everything they can to keep one another safe."

 

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Our industry has faced so many challenges over the last two years, but it is renowned for being resilient and I have every faith it will bounce back better and bigger than before.

 

This is the light at the end of the tunnel that small business, tourism operators and the events industry was desperate to see," Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott said.

 

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At least 14 schools and 10 early learning services have connections to Covid-19 cases, but the prime minister says schools will only be closed as a last resort.

 

She made the commitment during her post-cabinet Prime Minister's statement at Parliament this afternoon, saying school closures can cause significant indirect harm to children, so would be considered very seriously before being enacted.

 

The DHB said it is working closely with the school alongside the Ministries of Health and Education, and a pop-up testing centre is operating today.

 

The school is still open for on-site learning for those not impacted, but close contacts are isolation with access to distance learning.