The Hamilton Garden Arts Festival has been cancelled. Photo / Supplied
The Hamilton Garden Arts Festival has been cancelled. Photo / Supplied
The annual Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival and other Waikato events became Omicron casualties as people come to terms with the variant being found in the community.
The Government last Sunday moved the country to the red setting of the traffic light system as the Omicron variant of Covid-19 was found in the community. Since then, the number of Omicron cases in the community climbed to 90 cases, with the variant now being found in Waikato.
Local mayors are particularly concerned after Mystery Creek's Soundsplash Festival has been identified as a possible "superspreader" event. The Ministry of Health announced that five people in Auckland tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday afternoon after attending the music festival near Hamilton over the weekend. One of them has the Omicron variant.
There are two new cases of the virus in Waikato, both in Hamilton. One has been linked to previous cases while the other was under investigation.
The Waikato District Health Board announced today that the total number of cases in this Waikato outbreak is now 767 cases, with 18 still active and 749 recovered. Eleven cases are currently in Hamilton, two in Atiamuri and one each in Huntly, Ngāruawāhia and Te Awamutu. There are four active cases that are as yet unlinked.
There were 1350 tests processed in Waikato yesterday and 6547 vaccinations given. In the Waikato, public health, primary care and manaaki providers are supporting 18 cases to isolate at home.
The move to the red setting of the traffic light system helps to slow and manage the spread of Omicron, says the Waikato DHB.
Due to that move, several events like the Hamilton Garden Arts Festival, which was set to kick off in mid-February, have been cancelled or postponed. HGAF general manager Geoff Turkington says the decision to cancel the event was not taken lightly.
"Our thoughts are with everyone in our creative communities, particularly those in the Waikato ... It's nothing less than devastating to have to pull the plug on such an exciting programme of events after months of hard work and planning. However, to try and move forward at limited capacity would be both cost- and resource-prohibitive."
Although the red setting is the strictest of the new Covid-19 protection framework, it is different to alert level 4 of the previous framework. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer
All ticket holders to HGAF events will be contacted by EventFinda and given the option of a full refund, minus ticketing fees.
"While we're sad we will not be able to give Kirikiriroa Hamilton the arts festival it deserves this year, we support the Government's decision to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 in our communities," says Turkington.
Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate says she is "deeply disappointed" for the organisers, the artists, the audience and the city.
"The arts festival is such a fabulous event for Hamilton, one of the most important and creative events we have. To see the plug being pulled at such a late stage is gut-wrenching and I really, really feel for everyone involved. It is heartbreaking."
That Weekend Festival in Okoroire, which was set to rock the South Waikato this weekend, has been postponed to a yet unconfirmed date.
Meanwhile, vaccination efforts reached a milestone with 4 million New Zealanders and 90 per cent of every age group now being vaccinated.
At a press conference today, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern emphasised the importance of getting children aged 5 to 11 vaccinated and urged people to get their boosters shots.
"I implore you - please get a booster ... The booster will reduce the impact on hospitals," Jacinda Ardern said.
Although the red setting is the strictest of the new Covid-19 protection framework, it is different to alert level 4 of the previous framework. There is currently no lockdown and businesses can still open - with some restrictions.
The Waikato DHB says the goal at red is to slow the spread of Omicron as the variant has now been confirmed in the community.
"We do expect [more] cases to appear as this variant is highly transmissible ... You can [still] do many of the things that you normally do, including visiting family and friends and travelling across regions, but there are additional precautions and restrictions in place."
Record-keeping or scanning is required and face coverings are mandatory in places like on flights, public transport, taxis, retail, education (Year 4 and up, including tertiary).
Public facilities such as libraries, museums, public pools, retail shops, banks and outdoor markets can open with capacity limits based on 1m distancing. Hotels and backpackers can also stay open.
Schools can open onsite with public health measures in place and tertiary education facilities can also open onsite with capacity limits based on 1m distancing. For some workplaces, working from home may be an option.
With a vaccine pass, people can still visit cafes, restaurants, bars, cinemas, gyms and shops, attend gatherings and events like weddings, tangihanga, concerts and religious services and visit close-contact businesses like hairdressers. However, they are all limited to 100 people at a time and distancing requirements of 1m apply.
The Government moved the country into the red setting of the traffic light system last Sunday. Photo / Ben Fraser
Gatherings at home and any sports events up to 100 people can also still take place if vaccine passes are used and if people can be seated and separated 1m apart.
Without vaccine passes there are more restrictions in place. People can't visit close-contact businesses like hairdressers or gyms, attend events like concerts or dine in at cafes and restaurants. Hospitality can operate contactless only and gatherings at home, weddings, tangihanga, religious services, social sports events and marae are limited to up to 25 people.
If you have cold or flu-like symptoms, isolate immediately and call Healthline for advice about a test.
