One MIQ facility in Auckland’s city centre will be empty until Monday as the Government works out the logistics of reducing MIQ stay times.
From November 14, all travellers are required to spend seven days in MIQ facilities, with three tests during that time.
They will then isolate at home for about three days, with a test on day nine, before they can leave after that test returns a negative result.
It’s this change that has left Stamford Plaza empty since November 16, according to the joint head of MIQ Brigadier Rose King.
She said the change from 14-day stays to seven-day stays was a “significant logistical change”.
“We are currently rescheduling all managed isolation facilities to the new 11-day cohorting cycle,” King said.
The 11-day cycle means people arrive by about day two or three. They then isolate for a week, and cleaners are given two days to clean until the next batch of returnees come.
“For some facilities, this may mean they may be unoccupied for a few days while we reset its schedule and start its new 11-day cycle.
“This is necessary so the whole MIQ network aligns to the new 11-day cycle,” King said.
For the Stamford Plaza, cleaning took place for two days after November 16, she said.
King said that meant, excluding cleaning time, the MIQ facility would be closed for three days.
The situation comes as the National and ACT parties call for an end to MIQ. Both parties said it didn’t make sense that the MIQ system was still in place while some Covid-19 cases were told to self-isolate at home.
However, the reduction of the time required in MIQ is providing people stranded overseas hope that they could come to New Zealand sooner.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the reduction of stay times was estimated to free up about 1500 MIQ rooms a month.
National’s Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop said at the time of the announcement that the changes weren’t enough.
“The tragedy is that these changes could and should have happened much sooner,” he said.
SHARE ME