Nearly four months after Auckland went into lockdown, the border around the city will be lifted on December 15. The prime minister will likely announce that the Auckland region will enter the red level of the traffic light system a few days later. For the rest of New Zealand, decisions made that day will dictate how people will celebrate Christmas and live for months to come. Two months ago, Covid-19 minister Chris Hipkins quipped after seeing the National party’s pandemic proposal: “They are willing for Kiwis to get Covid for Christmas”. The political consensus that once supported the elimination strategy has been fraying for months, but is now completely gone.

Source: Stuff November 18, 2021 07:02 UTC