Non-citizens of New Zealand will be able to visit the country from November 1 if they are fully vaccinated, the minister in charge of managing the Coronavirus epidemic, Chris Hipkins, said on Sunday.
New Zealand’s borders have been closed to non-residents and non-citizens since March 2020, the start of the global pandemic. Progress on the vaccination front has now paved the way for the relaxation.
According to the latest figures from the national notifiable disease surveillance database, EpiServ, 78% of the eligible population had at least a first dose of a vaccine as at 30 September, while 46% had both shots.
Vaccinated foreigners arriving in the island nation will still need to remain in quarantine for 14 days and present a negative test taken within 72 hours of their flight.
Since the start of the epidemic, New Zealand, which has a population of about 5 million, has registered 3,995 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 357 probable ones, giving a total of 4,352.
Thirty-three cases were registered in the 24 hours ending at 9.00 a.m. on Sunday morning. Of these, 13 were detected at the border, according to EpiServ, which is operated by the local Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) on behalf of the Ministry of Health.
Deaths from COVID-19 totalled 27 as at 3 October.
The Brussels Times
