Dr Ashley Bloomfield received a round of applause after he finished fronting his final press conference on Wednesday.
The Director-General of Health is stepping down from his role at the end of this month. His term in the role was scheduled to end on June 11, 2023, but he decided to step down in July 2022, leaving his position nearly a year earlier than planned.
Dr Bloomfield helped lead New Zealand through the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years.
When asked at the press conference what's next for him, Dr Bloomfield jokingly said "lunch", but this will be followed by a "jolly good break" from Saturday.
As Dr Bloomfield left the presser, the next room erupted in applause for him.
Watch the video above.
