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☆ New Zealand scraps last of its Covid restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“While our case numbers will continue to fluctuate, we have not seen the dramatic peaks that characterized COVID-19 rates last year,” the health minister added. Covid has put considerably less pressure on the health care system this winter, New Zealand’s current season, with cases accounting for just 2.2% of recent hospital admissions, according to the government. “If New Zealand had had a similar rate of Covid-19 mortality as the United States, we would be reporting around 15,000 deaths from Covid,” he argued. As health minister during much of the pandemic Hipkins was closely associated with the zero-Covid controls. New Zealand goes to the polls in October, and Labour are facing a stiff challenge from the center-right opposition National Party.

Persons: Ayesha Verrall, ” Verrall, Covid, we’re, Chris Hipkins, ”, Hipkins, Jacinda Ardern Organizations: CNN, Zealand, Health, Zealanders, Labour Party, Labour, National Party, Australia Locations: . New Zealand, Zealand, United States, Covid, Wellington

☆ New Zealand removes final COVID-19 restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A testing site for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is seen in Wellington, New Zealand, March 11, 2022. REUTERS/Lucy Craymer/File PhotoWELLINGTON, Aug 14 (Reuters) - New Zealand's government will lift all remaining COVID-19 requirements from midnight Tuesday, bringing an end to some of the toughest COVID-19 pandemic rules in the world more than three years after they were put in place. “While our case numbers will continue to fluctuate, we have not seen the dramatic peaks that characterised COVID-19 rates last year. This, paired with the population’s immunity levels, means Cabinet and I am advised we’re positioned to safely remove the remaining COVID-19 requirements,” Verrall said. Most of the restrictions were removed last year as vaccination rates reached high levels and the country’s hospitals successfully navigated a winter without being overwhelmed.

Persons: Lucy Craymer, Ayesha Verrall, we’re, ” Verrall, Chris Hipkins, ”, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Zealand, Health, Thomson Locations: Wellington , New Zealand

☆ New Zealand won't require Chinese arrivals to show COVID-19 test
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WELLINGTON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - The New Zealand government said on Wednesday it would not require travellers from China to produce a negative COVID-19 test, bucking a trend that has seen a number of nations implement such measures as cases surge in China. New Zealand's COVID-19 minister, Ayesha Verrall, said in a statement that a public health risk assessment had concluded visitors from China would not contribute significantly to the number of cases in the country. "There is minimal public health risk to New Zealand," she said. All international arrivals in New Zealand are asked to test if they become symptomatic and the country provides free tests at the airport. New Zealand is also planning to trial testing waste water on international flights to see if this can replace targetted and voluntary testing of individuals.

CNN —New Zealand passed a historic anti-smoking bill in Parliament on Tuesday, banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. The new law will also slash the number of retailers licensed to sell tobacco, from 6,000 to 600 by the end of 2023. Smoking rates in New Zealand – already among the world’s lowest – are falling, having decreased from 9.4% to 8% in the past 12 months, according to Verrall. The legislation – the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill – will also reduce the amount of nicotine allowed in tobacco products, aiming to make them less addictive. Official data shows 8.3% of adults are now vaping daily, up from 6.2% in the past year.

☆ Fără fumători până în 2025: Cum vrea Noua Zeelandă să elimine tutunul
▼ + stars: | 2021-04-19 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +3 min

Sursa foto: foto simbolFără fumători până în 2025: Cum vrea Noua Zeelandă să elimine tutunulNoua Zeelandă a anunțat o serie de propuneri care vizează interzicerea fumatului pentru următoarea generație și apropierea țării de obiectivul său de „țară liberă de fumat" până în 2025, potrivit The Guardian. Ea a menționat că numărul vânzătorilor cu amănuntul de tutun a fost de patru ori mai mare în comunitățile cu venituri mici, unde rata fumatului a fost cea mai mare. Fumatul reprezintă unul din patru decese cauzate de cancer în Noua Zeelandă, iar aproximativ jumătate de milion de neozeelandezi fumează zilnic. Efectele acestui lucru se simt cel mai mult în rândul comunităților indigene maori, din Noua Zeelandă: femeile maori au cele mai mari rate de fumat din țară, cu aproximativ 30% care fumează zilnic. Cancerul este principala cauză de deces pentru femeile maori și a doua cauză pentru bărbații maori.

Persons: Lucy Elwood, Ea, Alex Braae Locations: Zeelandă, Noua Zeelandă

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