The New Zealand government announced that from 4 April 2022, it will be removing statutory COVID-19 vaccination mandates for many workers including those in education services, police forces and defence forces.

Other vaccination mandates for workers in the health and disability sector, aged care, corrections and at the border will remain in place.

Additionally, the requirement to use vaccination certificates and scan contact tracing QR codes will end on 4 April 2022.

The government also announced that it will be simplifying the COVID-19 protection framework and providing fewer restrictions.  In particular, from 23:59 on 25 March 2022, outdoor face mask requirements and capacity limits for all outdoor events will be removed.  Indoor capacity limits (for the likes of bars and restaurants) will also be doubled from 100 to 200.

The government said it was now ‘safe to ease restrictions that have successfully prevented widespread health and economic damage’ because of New Zealand’s ‘successful management of the Omicron outbreak and high rates of vaccination’.

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