Budget day finds New Zealand's PM isolated, reporting a loss of taste after testing positive for covid
Jacinda Ardern
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern seems to have lost her sense of taste after contacting COVID-19.
The Prime Minister has been in isolation following the positive test, due to which she was absent from the country's budget announcement, the most important day of the political year.
Addressing the parliament via video link, Ardern Saud that her “virtual presence in the debating chamber is obviously not to my preference on such a significant day.”
Even as she missed out on the parliamentary proceedings Ardern kept up the traditional breakfast with the Finance Minister.
On budget day in New Zealand, the Prime Minister has an early morning breakfast with Grant Robertson the finance minister. This breakfast consists of a South Island New Zealand delicacy: Cheese rolls.
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This year due to covid, the NZ Prime Minister fulfilled the tradition via an Instagram live stream, during which she commented that she knows that the cheese rolls are going to taste good but she won't know, as she has lost all her sense of taste.
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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, with mild symptoms, according to her office.
As per thestatement, Ardern had been unwell since Friday evening, with a faint positive at night and a definite positive on a fast antigen test on Saturday morning.
Due to the positive test, Ardern is expected to isolate herself until the morning of May 21, performing whatever duties she can remotely.
To ease the cost-of-living crisis, the budget included $1bn in temporary measures, including cash payments, tax cuts for petrol and half-price transit.
Despite the limitations of temporary fast relief, Ardern believes it can make a real difference.
The lion's share of Thursday's budget; $11.1 billion was earmarked for healthcare reform and funding to combat climate change.
(With inputs from agencies)
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