New Zealand will delay MIQ free international travel, beginning with Australia, until the end of February 2022 in a bid to stop Omicron from entering the country, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has announced.
Cabinet's announcement on Tuesday is among a "suite of precautionary measures" to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant.
“Omicron is now in more than 70 countries around the world and last week we, too, detected that variant at our border here in New Zealand," Hipkins said.
All evidence so far points to Omicron being the most transmissible variant yet, and public health advice suggests that soon, every case coming in through our border into our managed isolation facilities will be the Omicron variant.
“Our immediate job right now must be to slow it down, to delay it from entering the New Zealand community for as long as we possibly can."
Cabinet has made the decision to push back the decision for self-isolation for travellers from Australia from January 17 to the end of February 2022 in order to accelerate the rollout of the booster programme, "before we have people isolating at home across the international border".
“There’s no doubt this is disappointing and will upset many holiday plans, but it’s important to set these changes out clearly today so they can have time to consider those plans.
“Covid-19 keeps throwing new curve balls and we have to respond in a way that continues to protect lives and livelihoods without putting in place restrictions and lockdowns unless absolutely necessary.
“Waiting 'til the end of February will increase New Zealand’s overall protection and slow Omicron’s eventual spread," Hipkins said.
"Certainty is sometimes hard to offer in a very uncertain situation," he said. (Source: 1News)
The pre-departure testing requirement has also been shortened from 72 hours to 48 hours before travel "in order to assist in picking up more people with the virus before they get on a plane", Hipkins said in a media release.
“We are also making a temporary change to MIQ that increases the length of stay from seven to 10 days. Currently returnees do their final three days of isolation at home. Bringing those final three days back into MIQ reduces the risk of the virus entering the community."
Cabinet has also sought advice on the implementation of a requirement for all non-New Zealand citizens entering New Zealand to have had a booster dose before flying.
It comes after Cabinet met on Monday to consider potential changes to MIQ stay times in light of the new Omicron variant.
It had earlier announced its plans to begin opening its borders to vaccinated Kiwis from Australia from January 17 next year with a seven-day home isolation requirement, followed by travellers from other countries in February.
The number of Omicron cases detected at the border stands at 22 as of Tuesday afternoon.
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