New Zealand unveils phased border reopening plan
Will PayneNew Zealand has announced a phased reopening of its borders, which could see all international visitors allowed entry from October.
Fully vaccinated New Zealanders from Australia will be able to enter the country from 27 February while jabbed citizens elsewhere will be able to return from 13 March.
They will still be required to self-isolate for 10 days but the mandatory state quarantine (MIQ) will be dropped. Unvaccinated arrivals will still need to stay in MIQ.
From 12 April, up to 5,000 international students will be able to enter while Australians and all other visitors who can normally travel visa-free to NZ are expected to be able to return to the country no later than July.
The fifth and final stage of the reopening plan is set to begin in October and will allow all other visitors and students who normally require a visa to enter.
The New Zealand government said now 94% of its population has been fully vaccinated, and 92% of people over the age of 18 are eligible for a booster, "it’s time to shift gears in our Covid-19 response to focus on reconnection and recovery".
"By the time we start to reopen our border, we’ll be one of the most vaccinated and most boosted countries in the world, and the Covid-19 Protection Framework will be well established in helping to manage Covid outbreaks," it continued.
"Our plan has built-in protections to help manage risks such as future variants.
"A phased approach to reopening reduces the risk of a surge of cases, while prioritising the return of New Zealanders and much-needed entry of skilled workers."
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