Calls for New Zealand to move to alert level 1 continue to grow louder.
There have been eight days now without a single case of COVID-19 reported in New Zealand and only one active case remains across the country.
While alert level 2 provides far greater freedoms to Kiwis and businesses than during the lockdown and the Government is progressively allowing larger gatherings, the likes of the hospitality industry feel hard done by due to ongoing restrictions.
National's Amy Adams told Newshub Nation on Saturday we should move to level 1 "now", Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters also wants us there, while the Act Party's David Seymour says: "In the absence of a compelling case to keep remaining restrictions in place, on Monday the Cabinet should make the decision to move New Zealand to alert level 1 as soon as possible."
University of Auckland Professor Des Gorman said on Friday we should have moved "yesterday".
"The level of risk now posed by COVID-19 is beginning to be dwarfed by the level of risk from the economic fallout and the harm that that will cause."
But some other experts are concerned, saying we don't want to risk a second wave. Professor Shaun Hendy, Professor Michael Baker and Dr Siouxsie Wiles agree its possible that unknown cases could exist out in the community.
"We just want to make sure that there are no little cases out there that we don't know about, so slow and steady wins it," Dr Wiles says.
The Prime Minister says Cabinet will "check in again on our settings" on June 8 and that by no later than June 22 will the move to alert level 1 be considered. She will continue to receive advice from Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield.
"I expect that we'll move fairly quickly as we see, in New Zealand's ongoing success, on the 8th of June we're reviewing the settings again."
Do you think we should move to alert level 1 now?
