Chris Hipkins: Calls to boost vaccines, masks as PM relaxes Covid protections

Covid-19 Minister Chris Hipkins has defended the country remaining in red under the Covid traffic-light system - as New Zealand is set to welcome new freedoms with the axing of vaccine passes, QR scans and many mandates. 
Hipkins says the country remains under red - with no indication when that might change - because of the relative strain on hospitals, even as the Omicron peak passes in Auckland. 
"[Hospitals] are relatively under strain. We've said right the way along, we want to avoid as many people getting Covid-19 as we can, particularly the people who might die from it. So that continues to be our objective," Hipkins told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking today. 
Hosking quizzed Hipkins on the timeframe of lifting the new maximum indoor capacity of 200 people - given that that level was still constraining the likes of Netball New Zealand and indoor events such as orchestras and concerts. 
Hosking: Can we say, once the whole country has peaked, we can start to look at an increase in numbers beyond 200 indoors? 
Hipkins: Absolutely, yes, once we get through this peak we will be aiming to move back down the traffic lights - back to orange and eventually if we can get there, back to green again. 
Hipkins admitted he wanted to see a higher overall rate of booster jabs - the country is sitting at about 72 per cent of the eligible population - but he said he was pleased to see higher percentages in vulnerable groups. 
One factor, he said, was that many people will have had Covid, and not been able to get a booster shot in time. 
Hipkins also defended the Prime Minister's press conference style. 
Hosking: Why does the Prime Minister bang on and give us a condescending history lesson every time she speaks and not just get to the detail? 
Hipkins: The context the Prime Minister provides to the announcement is important. It is important to remember the journey we have been on in the last two years. 
Hosking: Is it? We've all been on it. Why do we need reminding all the time? And why do we need to be told how brilliant you guys are? 
Hipkins: Well, I don't think it was about saying how brilliant the government is. I think New Zealanders can reflect with a good degree of pride on the overall response to Covid-19 over the last two years. 
Restrictions ease - what you need to know 
Experts are calling for a renewed focus on booster and child vaccinations along with increasing access to high-quality masks as the Government moves to relax Covid-19 protections. 
Vaccine passes and most mandates will be dropped from April 4, the Prime Minister announced on Wednesday. 
Changes to these policies, seen by some to be causing great division in society, will potentially see unvaccinated teachers back in the classroom, along with other professions, on Tuesday, April 5. 
However, with ongoing public support for mandates and vaccine passes there are also many in the community nervous about the changes, particularly disabled and immunocompromised whānau. 
Ardern also announced outdoor gathering limits would be scrapped and the number of people allowed to gather inside would increase from 100 to 200 from 11.59pm Friday, under the changes to the red light traffic setting. 
The move means outdoor concerts, sports and other outdoor events would be able to resume under the red setting from this weekend. 
QR scanning will no longer be required, while masks will continue to be used and be one of the key protections. 
Vaccine passes will no longer be required to be used from 11.59pm on April 4, however businesses could continue to use them if they wanted. 
With the vaccine requirements gone, the traffic light system would simply see gathering limits at red, masks at orange and "guidance" at green, Ardern said. 
The system was still needed as a framework in case of future variants, Ardern said. 
The Government was also ending the controversial...

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