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Coronavirus: Jacinda Ardern praised for declaring Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy 'essential workers'

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has eased children’s concerns by confirming that the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are considered “essential workers” during the coronavirus pandemic.

As families face celebrating Easter in lockdown, the PM gave the children’s favourites the all-clear to continue operating.

“You’ll be pleased to know that we do consider both the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny to be essential workers,” Ardern said during a press briefing on Monday.

Read more: Online classes and activities children can take part in during lockdown

But she also helped ease pressure on parents by warning children it may be “a bit difficult at the moment” for the Easter Bunny to make it to all their homes this weekend.

“As you can imagine, at this time they’re going to be potentially quite busy at home with their family as well and their own bunnies.”

“I say to the children of New Zealand, if the Easter Bunny doesn’t make it to your household, we have to understand that it’s a bit difficult at the moment for the bunny to get everywhere.”

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has declared the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are "essential workers." (Getty Images)
New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has declared the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy to be "essential workers". (Getty Images)

The 39-year-old leader also shared a message “for the kids of New Zealand” on her Instagram asking them to take part in The Big New Zealand Easter Egg Hunt to “make this Easter extra special.”

Children are being asked to colour in the Easter egg template she posted or to design their own then stick it in a window at home so everyone in their street could “have the chance to hunt for eggs this weekend”.

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Children in New Zealand are also being asked to take part in an Easter Egg hunt by colouring pictures of eggs. (Getty Images)
Children in New Zealand are also being asked to take part in an Easter Egg hunt by colouring pictures of eggs. (Getty Images)

The PM also vowed to share some of the designs on her social media accounts, asking for parents to share the pictures on social media with the hashtag #NZEggHunt.

Since reassuring her Easter Bunny update, Ardern has been praised by parents who are keen to make the celebration as normal as possible for children, who have seen their lives massively disrupted by the coronavirus.

Similar to the UK, New Zealand was placed on a “level four” lockdown on 25 March, with only essential workers allowed out to work to try to stop the spread of COVID-19.