The Government's decision to scrap the Covid-19 traffic light system has been welcomed by opposition parties and businesses, although some fear the changes could be harmful for the country's most vulnerable.
The change means masks will not be required except in health settings, household contacts will not need to isolate, vaccine mandates will be lifted from September 26 and access to anti-viral medicines will be widened.
READ MORE: Covid-19 traffic light system to be scrapped late tonight
Health settings include doctor clinics, pharmacies, hospitals and rest homes.
Remaining vaccine mandates will be dropped in two weeks on September 26, including for health care workers and overseas tourists.
There will be no vaccine requirements for international travellers and crew.
The country's business and hospitality communities were pleased with the news and hope it will help businesses rebound from a tough time so far during the pandemic.
Hospitality New Zealand said it was the best news hospitality and accommodation businesses had heard in two-and-a-half years.
“At last. Operators have been hanging out for this news for a very long time,” chief executive Julie White said.
“This will make a difference to all businesses, big and small, as it will hopefully give more people the confidence they have been waiting for to socialise in venues, cafes, and restaurants.
“Many businesses are still recovering from the restrictions of the past two years, and with our borders now open, there is real light at the end of the tunnel."
Business NZ chief executive Kirk Hope said the traffic light system had become "outdated" and welcomed the removal of the framework to allow individual businesses to decide their own rules.
"No two sites are the same and each business can decide what works for their own environment when it comes to minimising the spread of Covid-19," Hope said.
"Businesses are highly incentivised to keep employees, customers and visitors safe in order to continue operating."
Retail NZ chief executive Greg Harford said retailers would be pleased the Government had finally dropped "nonsensical mask rules" that had seen high levels of in-store aggression, violence and anti-social behaviour from some members of the public.
However, he said the Government could continue to review the isolation period for Covid-19 cases and drop them to three to five days to align with rules in other countries.
The Government's decision was also welcome news to National and ACT, with National leader Christopher Luxon saying New Zealanders, "Have been over the traffic light system for some time".
"It's time the country moves forward and focuses on the things that matter most."
He said beyond health and aged care facilities, mask wearing should be up to each individual.
Luxon said he would work out when he would wear a mask, but in most cases he would go without.
ACT's David Seymour said removing the traffic light system is, "Absolutely the right thing to do, but it was the right thing to do six-months-ago as well".
He called it "insulting, zombie laws", saying the Government needed to go further on reducing isolation periods.
But not everyone is on board with the changes, with some concerned about what it means for the country's most vulnerable communities.
Green Party's Covid spokesperson Teanau Tuiono said "vital" public health measures were missing from the response.
"The near complete removal of longstanding protections will be of considerable concern for immunocompromised and disabled whānau whose wellbeing should be at the centre of the Government's response," Tuiono said.
"What is certain is that Covid and other respiratory illnesses are here to stay. We will be living with new waves of the infection for many years to come. Focus must immediately shift to slowing the spread of Covid-19 through long-term protective public health measures, alongside equal access to all future vaccines."
Aged Concern Auckland chief executive Kevin Lamb said it was important to remember "we're not fully out of the woods yet".
"The old people in our communities, they're some of the more vulnerable people. It's great for them, like it's great for everyone else that these restrictions we've been living under are gone, but we need to be careful.
"We need to look after them to make sure we stay vigilant. If we're going to visit older relatives in a rest home, it's probably wise to keep wearing that mask."
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