With Easter just a few days away, New Zealand’s youngest citizens were concerned as to how the lockdown owing to the coronavirus might affect the working of the Easter Bunny, who usually delivers the traditional, colourful eggs filled with candy.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in response announced that the rabbit can go about its mysterious business this Sunday as usual, despite a nationwide lockdown. She declared the Easter Bunny to be an essential worker. She also announced that the tooth fairy, too, will be an essential worker and that exchange of gifts for loss of teeth will continue.
Ardern, however, did mention, that the bunny might not be able to make it to some households, “then we have to understand that it's a bit difficult at the moment for the bunny to perhaps get everywhere." Adding that, as Easter egg hunts might not go on as usual in many places, children should take matters into their own hands.
Ardern then posted an egg design on her Facebook and Instagram accounts, asking kids to download it and colour it in, as part of the Big New Zealand Easter Egg Hunt. She also included a hashtag that has since become an inspiration for kids and adults, who were posting images of their efforts with the hashtag: #NZEggHunt.
The leader also said that neighbourhoods should put eggs in their window as part of an activity for kids during the egg hunts.
Heads of Quebec and Ontario provinces in Canada, Francois Legault and Doug Ford, too, followed suit and declared the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy as essential services, but restricted services only to homes and not to public places of recreation such as parks and playgrounds.