New Zealand has abandoned its long-standing COVID-19 elimination strategy in the face of a challenging delta outbreak, authorities announced on Monday. Instead, the country will focus on increasing vaccination rates and learning to live with the virus.
“With this outbreak and delta the return to zero is incredibly difficult,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a major policy shift.
“This is a change in approach we were always going to make over time. Our delta outbreak has accelerated this transition. Vaccines will support it,” she said.
