Otago University epidemiologist, Professor Michael Baker, accepts it's time to lift the last of the Covid mandates.
But he says there needs to be more information for people on how to keep themselves safe, because Covid has not gone away.
As of midnight, the mandates for the seven-day isolation period and masks in health settings have ended, with the Health Minister Ayesha Verrall saying wastewater testing shows little trace of the virus.
Baker, who's just back from four months in Europe says it's as though Covid doesn't exist there, but he believes some rules are needed.
Baker spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
