Wellington, Apr 11 (IANS): The New Zealand is urging the public to take preventive measures in an effort to reduce the impact of Covid-19 during the upcoming winter season.

Addressing reporters on Tuesday, Health Minister Ayesha Verrall said that being up to date with vaccinations, staying home if unwell and wearing masks in healthcare settings remain key to minimising the impact of the pandemic and reducing pressure on the country's health system, reports Xinhua news agency.

She said that mandatory measures for cases to isolate for seven days and retain the compulsory use of masks for visitors to healthcare settings will remain this winter.

Meanwhile, to help prepare the health system for the coming winter, the New Zealand government has added 32 new health sector roles to the Straight to Residence pathway of the Green List.

"The world is currently facing a global health worker shortage, so it is vital that New Zealand's immigration settings present a competitive offer to attract health workers to our shores," said Immigration Minister Michael Wood.

Since the pandemic first erupted in 2020, New Zealand has reported a total of 2,286,481 Covid-19 cases and 4,045 deaths.