New Zealand scraps last remaining coronavirus restrictions

New Zealand on Monday removed the last of its remaining COVID-19 restrictions, marking the end of a government response to the pandemic that was watched closely around the world.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the requirement to wear masks in hospitals and other healthcare facilities would end at midnight, as would a requirement for people who caught the virus to isolate themselves for seven days.

New Zealand was initially praised internationally for eliminating the virus entirely after imposing nationwide lockdowns and strict border controls.

NEW ZEALAND SCRAPS ALMOST ALL COVID RESTRICTIONS AS PANDEMIC CONCERNS DECLINE

But as the pandemic wore on and more infectious variants took hold, the nation's zero-tolerance approach became untenable. It eventually abandoned its elimination strategy.

Reflecting on the government's response to the virus over more than three years, Hipkins said that during the height of the pandemic he had longed for the day he could end all restrictions, but now it felt anticlimactic.

He said about 3,250 New Zealanders from a population of 5 million had died with COVID-19 as a primary or secondary cause — about one-fifth of the mortality rate in the United States.

"While there were no doubt fractures in our collective sense of unity, I believe that New Zealanders can be enormously proud of what we achieved together," Hipkins said. "We stayed home, we made sacrifices, we got vaccinated, and there is absolutely no question, we saved lives."

NEW ZEALAND'S DEATH RATE FROM COVID AT RECORD HIGH IN WAKE OF OMICRON WAVE

Health Minister Ayesha Verrall said coronavirus case numbers and hospitalizations were low and had been trending down since June, and the publicly funded health system had faced less disruption from the virus this southern winter.

"We have been able to complete 16,000 more operations than we did last year, and so that is a very good indication our health system is on a much more even keel than it was," she said.

The announcement comes two months before a general election.

David Seymour, the leader of the opposition ACT Party, said the government had been treating people like children for too long.

"They have been happy to impose high costs with little benefit and have taken their sweet time getting around to fixing it," Seymour said in a statement.

Detect a creep’s unwanted Bluetooth tracker with Google’s new safety feature

How would you feel if you found out that a Bluetooth device was secretly tracking your every move? Terrifying, right? Well, this is the scary reality for some people who have been targeted by stalkers using Bluetooth trackers.

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These trackers are meant to help you find your lost items, such as your car keys or wallet, but they can also be used for malicious purposes. Google is aware of this problem and has decided to take action to protect Android users from unwanted tracking. Here’s what you need to know.

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At its annual developer conference, I/O 2023, Google unveiled 'Unknown Tracker Alerts,' a new safety feature coming for select Android models.

This feature will alert users if an unfamiliar Bluetooth device appears to be tracking them over extended periods or if it's separated from its owner yet seems to be moving with them. Users can then issue an alert, locate the tracker, and report it to the authorities.

Google’s feature also detects Apple AirTags, which are Bluetooth trackers that use Apple’s Find My network to locate items. AirTags have some anti-stalking measures built into them, but they are not foolproof.

The feature will be available for Android 6.0+ users beginning this month and aims to enhance user safety and privacy.

MORE: AIRTAG TRACKER DETECTOR WARNS OF STALKERS IN SECONDS

How exactly will Google's new unknown tracker alert feature work?

This new feature will scan for any Bluetooth trackers that are not paired with the user’s Android device. If it finds any, it will alert the user with a notification and a map that shows the tracker’s movements.

MORE: PROS AND CONS OF TRACKING YOUR LOST ITEMS USING APPLE AIRTAG VERSUS TILE TRACKERS 

The Android user will then be able to have the tracker make a sound so that they can easily identify where it's located. If a stalker planted it on the Android user, it could be located in their bag or even their pocket without their knowledge. The owner of the tracker will not be notified that the tracker has made any noise.

Once the tracker is found, the feature will help the Android user find out who the tracker belongs to by pulling up its serial number and any other information about the owner of the tracker. It will then provide information on how to disable the tracker.

MORE: SEE HOW YOUR IPHONE TRACKS YOUR WHEREABOUTS 24/7

If you are concerned about being stalked by Bluetooth trackers, there are some precautions in addition to the 'Unknown Tracker Alerts' feature you can take to protect yourself and your privacy.

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For my best AirTag and Tile tracker options, head over to CyberGuy.com/BluetoothTrackers

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This is a big step in the right direction for Google and all Android users. Google is also developing a network similar to Apple's Find My Network so that Android users can keep track of all their devices in one place. The top priority for these big companies should always be safety for their customers, and I'm glad to see that Google is making this happen.

What else do you think could be done to keep stalkers from using Bluetooth trackers in this way? Let us know by writing us at CyberGuy.com/Contact

For more of my security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to CyberGuy.com/Newsletter

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