Speaking with media on Friday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wouldn't confirm whether the Government was planning to scrap mask requirements but said they were being reviewed.
"We are reviewing our COVID rules so we have a regular process of looking at what our current case numbers are, pressure on our hospital system," Ardern said.
"We are also looking at our settings more broadly. We've been working with the traffic light system for upwards of a year now so now is the time for us to look at whether all those settings are fit for purpose. We include mask use in this analysis."
When asked why the disability sector was only given 24 hours to respond to the proposal to drop mask mandates, Ardern said she "cannot speak to that".
"We work on the process of receiving public health advice so that public health advice actually builds over quite a period of time.
"You might be speaking to a particular sector who may have been engaged by our departments as they work on our advice as they prepare for us. We have not formally concluded or received the formal advice yet."
Ardern said the Government is yet to decide whether to drop mask requirements because the final advice is still being considered.
She also offered assurances to the disability sector after industry leaders raised concerns about the impacts of removing mask mandates.
"The only thing I would say is that whenever we receive advice we do take into account the range of different interests in our settings and of course, they span from everything in our disability sector to those in our education sector, the business community, a range of interests," Ardern said.
"It is our job as a Government to factor all of those in alongside, of course, the public health advice.
"We are very aware of the concerns within our disability community and we have been throughout our COVID-19 management."
It comes after Ardern hinted earlier in the week the country might soon be moving to the green COVID-19 traffic light setting.
The Prime Minister revealed on Monday, Cabinet would review Aotearoa's traffic light settings and broader COVID-19 rules in a fortnight, with ministers considering whether to shift the country to the green setting.
"Obviously you will have heard us say that we are going to look at our settings post-winter and so that is what we are going to do," Ardern told reporters.
"We've got to make sure the frameworks we are working in are fit for purpose at any given time. We did that obviously with the alert level system and we will do the same [again]."
New Zealand is currently in the orange setting and has been for some time. But over the past few weeks, COVID-19 cases have been steadily dropping with just 2066 new community cases announced on Thursday.
Read the original here:
- Jacinda Ardern fury as NZ in lockdown after ONE Covid case: 'Never-ending nightmare' - Daily Express [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- Should we be wearing masks while exercising? Jacinda Ardern, Ashley Bloomfield respond to confusion - Newshub [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- Lockdowns or Vaccines? 3 Pacific Nations Try Diverging Paths - VOA Asia [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- Fall of Afghanistan: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says NZ unlikely to rescue 'everyone we want to' - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- COVID-19: Jacinda Ardern defends pace locations of interest are released to public after Wellington Mayor criticism - Newshub [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- Jacinda Ardern asks the Taliban to be 'nice' to women - The Spectator Australia [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- Graham Adams: Is Jacinda Ardern the Messiah? Or just a very crafty politician? - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- Will Jacinda Ardern Suffer Churchills Fate Once The (Covid) War Is Over? - Forbes [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- Covid-19: 'Prepare for the inevitability of community transmission' - Stuff.co.nz [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2021]
- New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern admits nation can't get rid of coronavirus | TheHill - The Hill [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2021]
- Why Jacinda Ardern giving up on eliminating COVID-19 is a political gamble for the popular PM - ABC News [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2021]
- New Zealand increases climate aid ahead of UN summit - The Indian Express [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2021]
- Covid 19: No change likely for Auckland, Waikato but alert levels now on borrowed time - Stuff.co.nz [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2021]
- Anniversary of a landslide: new research reveals what really swung New Zealand's 2020 'COVID election' - The Conversation AU [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2021]
- Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Scathing feedback from experts on Jacinda Ardern's traffic light system to replace alert levels - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2021]
- Why Jacinda Arderns clumsy leadership response to Delta could still be the right approach - The Conversation AU [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2021]
- Everyday activities won't be available to the unvaccinated - Jacinda Ardern - RNZ [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2021]
- When will Aucklanders turn on Jacinda Ardern? - MacroBusiness [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2021]
- Time for the National Party to embrace kindness - Stuff.co.nz [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2021]
- Leadership in the time of Covid is a thankless job, in politics and in sport - Stuff.co.nz [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2021]
- New Zealand PM Ardern backs Five Eyes, open to other alliances - Reuters [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2021]
- PM Jacinda Ardern: 'Throughout this pandemic one of the hardest things to do has been to plan' - RNZ [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2021]
- Covid 19 Delta outbreak: PM Jacinda Ardern on Covid, visit to Auckland, and National Party turmoil - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2021]
- COVID-19: No reason to cancel Christmas over Omicron variant - Jacinda Ardern - Newshub [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2021]
- It's Dangerous to Allow Politicians and Officials to Decide What Constitutes 'Truth' - Reason [Last Updated On: January 11th, 2022] [Originally Added On: January 11th, 2022]
- Government needs to work with businesses - Otago Daily Times [Last Updated On: January 11th, 2022] [Originally Added On: January 11th, 2022]
- New Zealands successful Covid policies hid inequality the government cant ignore it this year - The Guardian [Last Updated On: January 11th, 2022] [Originally Added On: January 11th, 2022]
- Nearly halfway through the term, parties start to stake out territory - Stuff [Last Updated On: April 14th, 2022] [Originally Added On: April 14th, 2022]
- Jacinda Ardern and Christopher Luxon's letters to each other revealed - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: April 14th, 2022] [Originally Added On: April 14th, 2022]
- The Front Page: Why neither Louisa Wall nor Jacinda Ardern look good in departure drama - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: April 14th, 2022] [Originally Added On: April 14th, 2022]
- Parliament protest: Jacinda Ardern came into contact with Covid-infected cops while thanking them - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: April 14th, 2022] [Originally Added On: April 14th, 2022]
- On budget day, will Labour be bold enough to seize back the cost-of-living narrative? - The Spinoff [Last Updated On: May 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: May 12th, 2022]
- Rugs, perfume, couture: What PM and other MPs declared - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: May 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: May 12th, 2022]
- Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: 9392 new Covid cases and 9 deaths, 7 in ICU - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: May 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: May 12th, 2022]
- Two-tier visa system a 'kick in the guts' - RNZ [Last Updated On: May 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: May 12th, 2022]
- PM Jacinda Ardern says soft on crime claims 'just wrong' as former detective hails NZ Police's international reputation - Newshub [Last Updated On: May 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: May 12th, 2022]
- The Magnificent Seven: The Knight and Dames Jacinda Ardern didn't want to mess with - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: May 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: May 12th, 2022]
- Taranaki man charged with threatening to kill Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: May 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: May 12th, 2022]
- Ardern horrified as New Zealand faces record housing crash - MacroBusiness [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- School lunches: Mum's photo of school lunch shows what some school kids are offered - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- 7 Women To Watch At The UN General Assembly - Forbes [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- She has the power! - The Tribune India [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- Government outlines new laws to crackdown on hidden criminal wealth - Stuff [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- NZ government's Working with Survivors continues cover-up of Pike River mine disaster - WSWS [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- New Zealand will continue to cooperate with more assertive China ... [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- Jacinda Ardern to travel to New York for UN meeting later this month - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern - Prime Minister of New Zealand - NZ Labour Party [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- Jacinda Ardern makes final appearance as New Zealand leader - Los ... [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2023] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern | Biography, Facts, & Partner | Britannica [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2023] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern speech: New Zealand's former prime minister delivers emotional final speech to Parliament: "You can be a mother ... you can lead,... [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2023] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2023]
- Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will donate clothing to Te Papa - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2023] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern appointed trustee of Prince William's Earthshot Prize - BBC [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2023] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern joins The Earthshot Prize as a Trustee - Earthshot Prize [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2023] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern says goodbye to parliament: how her politics of kindness fell on unkind times - The Conversation [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2023] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2023]
- New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern takes on a new role after leaving politics this week - NPR [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2023] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2023]
- Harry, Meghan called toxic as Jacinda Ardern joins Prince William's project - Hindustan Times [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2023] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2023]