Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand (2021)
The following is a timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand during the year 2021, documenting key events and government responses.
January 2021:
- January 1: New Zealand's borders remain closed to most international travelers, with managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) requirements in place.
- Throughout January: The focus remains on preventing community transmission through border controls, testing, and contact tracing. Isolated cases are detected in MIQ facilities.
February 2021:
- February 14: Auckland enters Alert Level 3 for three days following the detection of three community cases unrelated to the border. The rest of the country enters Alert Level 2.
- February 17: Auckland moves to Alert Level 2, and the rest of New Zealand moves to Alert Level 1.
- Late February: The government begins planning for the nationwide rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, prioritizing border workers and healthcare staff.
March 2021:
- March: The first doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine arrive in New Zealand.
- March: The vaccine rollout begins, starting with border workers.
- March 15: Auckland moves to Alert Level 1 following the identification of a border-related case.
- Throughout March: The focus is on continuing the vaccine rollout and maintaining strict border controls.
April 2021:
- April: The vaccine rollout expands to include more frontline workers and vulnerable populations.
- April 17: Quarantine-free travel begins with Australia (Trans-Tasman Bubble).
May 2021:
- May: The Trans-Tasman Bubble remains in effect, allowing travel between New Zealand and Australia without quarantine requirements.
- May: The government continues to expand the vaccine rollout.
June 2021:
- June: A pause is implemented in the Trans-Tasman Bubble after outbreaks in several Australian states.
- June: The government begins planning for a staged approach to reopening borders, contingent on high vaccination rates.
July 2021:
- July: The Trans-Tasman Bubble is partially reinstated, with specific requirements based on the situation in different Australian states.
- July: The government announces a plan to accelerate the vaccine rollout.
August 2021:
- August 17: A community case of the Delta variant is detected in Auckland, ending a six-month period without community transmission. Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula enter Alert Level 4 lockdown. The rest of New Zealand enters Alert Level 4 shortly after.
- August: The Alert Level 4 lockdown is extended for Auckland and the rest of the country.
September 2021:
- September: The government adopts an elimination strategy, aiming to stamp out the Delta variant in the community.
- September: Auckland remains in Alert Level 4, while the rest of the country gradually moves down alert levels.
- September: The government announces a shift in its approach, acknowledging that elimination may not be sustainable with the Delta variant. Increased emphasis is placed on vaccination.
October 2021:
- October: Auckland remains in a modified version of Alert Level 4, with some restrictions easing.
- October 22: The government announces a new COVID-19 Protection Framework ("traffic light system") to replace the alert level system, based on vaccination rates and hospital capacity.
- October: The vaccine rollout intensifies, with a focus on reaching high vaccination rates across the country.
November 2021:
- November: The government sets a date for the transition to the COVID-19 Protection Framework, contingent on vaccination rates.
- November: Vaccination mandates are introduced for some sectors, including healthcare and education.
December 2021:
- December 3: New Zealand transitions to the COVID-19 Protection Framework ("traffic light system"). Different regions are assigned different traffic light levels based on vaccination rates and other factors. Auckland enters the "Red" setting.
- December: The government continues to promote vaccination and booster shots.
- December: Border restrictions remain in place, with plans for a phased reopening in 2022.