New Zealand to ease lockdown after 'breaking' coronavirus chain

Construction and manufacturing to restart but tourism remains crippled

20200420 nz ardern

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on April 20 announces plans to ease the country's lockdown, saying the chain of coronavirus transmission has been broken. © Getty Images

DAVID BROOKS, Contributing writer

WELLINGTON -- New Zealand on Monday announced it will relax some of the most stringent coronavirus controls introduced anywhere in the world, after successfully limiting the spread of the disease.

Key industries will emerge from a month-long hibernation next week, potentially showing other countries a path to getting back to business. Within New Zealand, however, there is a growing realization that the economic pain is just beginning, especially for the critical tourism sector.

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