New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern received her first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at the Manurewa Vaccination Center in Auckland on June 18, 2021.
Photo: Michael Bradley/AFP
- New Zealand plans to allow vaccinated travelers from low-risk countries to enter without isolation from the beginning of 2022.
- Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday that the country is still not ready to fully open up, but will open in phases starting early next year.
- From October to December this year, some vaccinated passengers will be able to participate in the pilot, travel at home and self-isolate.
New Zealand plans to allow vaccinated travelers from low-risk countries to enter the country without isolation from the beginning of 2022 because it hopes to open its borders again after nearly 18 months of isolation caused by the pandemic.
Strict border control and its geographical advantages have helped New Zealand eliminate Covid-19 faster than almost all other countries, but this has made this Pacific island country with a population of 5 million almost completely isolated from the rest of the world.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday that the country is still not ready to fully open up, but will open in phases starting early next year.
The 41-year-old leader said in a speech outlining New Zealand’s plans to reconnect with the world: “We can’t fully reopen right now.”
she says:
When we move, we will be cautious because we want to move with confidence and as much certainty as possible.
Ardern said that the government will consider opening quarantine-free travel to vaccinated travelers from low-risk countries starting in the first quarter of next year.
Tourists from middle-risk countries will self-isolate or stay in isolation hotels for a short time. People from high-risk countries or who have not been vaccinated still need to be quarantined for 14 days.
From October to December this year, some vaccinated passengers will be able to participate in the pilot, travel at home and self-isolate.
Ardern has won global acclaim for curbing the local spread of Covid-19 through strict elimination strategies. The country has only recorded 2500 cases and 26 deaths.
But reopening https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/virus-free-new-zealand-plans-border-reopening-amid-labour-shortage-2021-08-09 The pressure on the border is increasing Large private enterprises and the public sector are working hard to solve the problem of worker shortages and reduced incomes.
Ardern said that despite the phased reopening, the government will stick to its elimination strategy to maintain its hard-won gains as one of the few virus-free countries.
“This is not to say that the environment we have today will be the environment we will have forever. No one wants that,” she said.
Accelerated vaccine
Ardern said that the country will also speed up the vaccination rate, all eligible ages can book the vaccine before September 1, and achieve a six-week interval between the two vaccinations to ensure more New Zealanders Get at least part of the vaccination.
The vaccination process in New Zealand is slower than most other countries. So far, only more than 21% of the population is fully vaccinated.
Critics slammed the delay in vaccination and said the government must speed up its actions to protect the people before opening the border.
Opposition National Party leader Judith Collins said: “Although the number of vaccinations has finally started to rise, we are still the slowest in the OECD, ranking 120th in the world.”
“This is not the’front end of the queue’ we promised. Considering the increased risks brought about by the new variants, this is not good enough.”
The outbreak caused by Delta Air Lines across Australia led Ardern to suspend the so-called “travel bubble” that allows travel between the two countries without isolation last month.
Never miss a story. Choose from our newsletter Send the news you want directly to your inbox.
