New Zealand has eradicated COVID-19 and has lifted all restrictions, bar their border closure, as of today.

Newstalk ZB political editor Barry Soper told Deborah Knight Kiwis broke into song and dance at midnight when social distancing became officially redundant.

Without restrictions on crowds, Super Rugby has returned in full swing, with tens of thousands expected to attend the weekend matches.

“[There’s] a fair amount of celebration here.”

However, Mr Soper said, the concern for New Zealanders now is the state of their economy.

“We had one of the most stringent lockdowns of anywhere in the world: basically, the economy was strangled.

“Even the OECD is saying that we could have one of the biggest impacts of any country that they’ve monitored.

“So that’s where the trepidation is, not from new cases.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

Image: Facebook/Jacinda Ardern, Getty