Wellington, Nov 24, : New Zealanders who have been fully vaccinated will be able to return to New Zealand from January 2022.Foreign nationals will follow suit from April 2022.
This is because the government has removed the requirement for managed isolation (MIQ), Chris Hipkins, Covid-19 Response Minister, stated on Wednesday. Hipkins announced that fully vaccinated Kiwis can travel to New Zealand without having to stay in MIQ starting at 11.59 p.m.on January 16th 2022.
Hipkins stated that fully vaccinated Kiwis can travel to New Zealand with other eligible travellers starting at 11.59 p.m.on Feb 13, 2022.Hipkins added that all fully vaccinated people will be able travel to New Zealand starting April 30, 2022.
The re-opening will take place over time, according to Xinhua news agency.
He stated that closing our border was one the first steps taken to protect our country from Covid-19.It’ll be the last thing that we open after our transition into the traffic lights protection framework system, and lifting the Auckland boundary.
He added that the MIQ policy has been replaced by a mandatory seven day self-isolation.
According to the government’s reconnecting strategy, all travellers who do not need to enter MIQ will still need to pass a negative pre-departure screening, proof that they are fully vaccinated, and a passenger statement about their travel history.
Hipkins stated, “It’s very encouraging” that the country is now in a position of moving towards greater normality.
He also said that the strategy will continue being reviewed to mitigate the risk posed to New Zealand by tourists.
Hipkins stated that “the border is our greatest risk for new cases,” adding that the current outbreak, which now has more then 7,000 cases, was caused by a single traveller from Australia to New Zealand.
He said that a phased approach minimizes the potential impact on vulnerable communities and the New Zealand healthcare system.Additional details about self-isolation will also be made available in December.
These details will include guidance on how people can travel to their self-isolation location from their arrival airport and requirements for the places they can self-isolate.
ksk/ #gradually #border
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