All of this has not been without pain. Loved ones have been lost to the virus and other causes, and grief has been compounded by limitations on the comfort that can be provided; weddings have been put on hold; 335,457 people are on the main benefit, which is 11.2 percent of the working-age population. Last week, nearly 7,000 more people came on to jobseeker support, bringing the total to 174,630, which is 5.8 percent of the working-age population, while more than 1.6 million New Zealanders are now on a wage subsidy provided by the Government.