WELLINGTON Nov 25 (AFP): New Zealand said Wednesday it will not reopen to foreign travellers for at least another five months, as it slowly relaxes some of the world’s toughest pandemic border restrictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Pacific nation’s Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said New Zealanders stranded in Australia could return home from mid-January and Kiwis travelling from elsewhere would be allowed in a month later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But foreign nationals must wait until the end of April under the blueprint for a phased reopening unveiled Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We acknowledge it’s been tough, but the end of heavily restricted travel is now in sight,” Hipkins told reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New Zealand closed its borders in March last year, requiring all international arrivals to undergo two weeks of hotel quarantine, a period that was recently cut to seven days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hipkins said under the new regime, travellers would self isolate for seven days provided they were fully vaccinated and passed a series of Covid-19 tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The move comes amid mounting pressure from overseas-based New Zealanders frustrated at being unable to book spots in the overstretched hotel quarantine system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Local media regularly carry reports of Kiwis unable to return home to see visit dying relatives because there are no available quarantine rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The border announcement comes as New Zealand prepares to revamp its domestic Covid-19 response to scrap lockdowns in recognition that the highly contagious Delta variant is now firmly embedded in the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Its previous strategy of eliminating the virus completely has resulted in just 40 deaths in a population of five million but officials have admitted Delta means the goal is no longer achievable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hipkins acknowledged many New Zealanders wanted the border open for Christmas but said it was not a realistic expectation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“There continues to be a global pandemic, with case numbers surging in Europe and other parts of the world,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“So we need to be careful about reopening our border, that’s what we’re doing and what we’ve always done.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hipkins said from next month India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Fiji and Brazil would no longer be classified as very-high risk countries, making their nationals eligible to travel to New Zealand from April 30.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said there was a possibility “bespoke” arrangements would allow international students and Australians to travel before April 30 but could offer no guarantees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
— AFP<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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