Wellington: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called off her own wedding after she tightened COVID-19 restrictions in view of an outbreak of the Omicron variant.
“My wedding will not be going ahead,” Ardern was quoted as saying after detailing new restrictions by news agency AFP. The restrictions included a limit of 100 fully vaccinated people at events.
“I just joined many other New Zealanders who have had an experience like that as a result of the pandemic and to anyone who is caught up in that scenario I am so sorry,” the agency quoted Ardern as saying.
New Zealand was forced to impose “red setting” restrictions from Sunday midnight following the emergence of nine Omicron cases in a family who travelled between cities to attend a wedding and a flight attendant’s infection on one aircraft they flew on.
Besides limiting crowd numbers, face coverings are now mandatory on public transport and in shops.
Ardern and long-time partner Clarke Gayford though have not declared their wedding date, but it was believed to be held sometime in the next few weeks.
New Zealand has put in place the new restrictions till at least the end of February.
“Such is life,” Ardern was quoted as saying when asked how she felt about setting regulations that stopped her planned nuptials.
“I’m no different to thousands of other New Zealanders who have had much more devastating impacts felt by the pandemic, the most gutting of which is the inability to be with a loved one sometimes when they are gravely ill. That will far outstrip any sadness I experience,” she said.
A total of 15,104 COVID-19 cases were found in New Zealand and recorded 52 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
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