Jacinda Ardern Rocked By Earthquake At Covid Press Conference

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was filmed being “rattled” by an earthquake whilst answering questions at the country’s daily Covid press conference in Wellington. 

The earthquake struck during question time as a reporter posed to the PM: “When do you know when exactly Aucklanders will be able to leave for domestic travel?”

Jacinda, clung to the podium as the quake momentarily shook the room before smiling and replying, “Ah sorry, a slight distraction, would you mind repeating that question?”

Watch the full video below.

The 5.9-magnitude earthquake rocked the city and nearby areas with the epicentre 35km southwest of Taumarunui in central North Island, according to GeoNet. Whilst the shaking was felt widely, there were no reports of damage or injuries. 

Ardern announced the country would be abandoning the near-zero tactic, it previously swore by, promising to restore the country’s freedoms only when 90 per cent of its eligible population is fully vaccinated. 

NZ recorded 129 new cases recorded overnight, a third record number for the week. Sixty-eight per cent of New Zealand’s eligible population is fully vaccinated and 86% have had one dose. 

Once the vaccine target is met, the PM said the country would move to a new traffic-light system to manage outbreaks in regions. 

The system will put an end to lockdowns for good. It will use three settings, green, orange and red, to manage fresh outbreaks and cases and vaccine certificates will play a pivotal role in it.

"Fully vaccinated people will be able to reconnect with family and friends, go to bars and restaurants and do the things they love with greater certainty and confidence," she said.

"Instead we have the vaccines to create a level of safety and armour, and there will be much more predictability," she said.

Whilst the virus rages on in Auckland, the government is receiving pressure to curb restrictions for its 5 million other residents, who are all mostly subject to looser restrictions. 

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