COVID: New Zealand reopens to foreigners from May 2022

In New Zealand, foreign travelers will remain persona non grata until the end of April, while The archipelago is gradually easing the measures For international arrivals, it is by far among the strictest in the world. The minister in charge of combating COVID-19 indicated that New Zealanders stranded in Australia could return from mid-January, while the rest of the world will have to wait until February.

For their part, foreigners will be able to travel to the archipelago from the end of April, according to the gradual reopening plan unveiled on Wednesday. “We know the situation has been difficult, but the end of the travel restrictions is imminent,” Chris Hepkins told reporters.

New Zealand was It closed its borders in March 2020 . All people coming from abroad had to observe a two-week quarantine in a hotel. This period has recently been reduced to seven days. And the minister went even further by declaring that with the gradual opening of its borders, to Australia and then to the rest of the world, travelers will have to self-isolate at home for seven days after they tested positive and fully immune to the coronavirus.

It contains a delta variable

The announcement comes amid growing pressure from New Zealanders stranded abroad and frustration at not being able to book rooms in quarantine hotels, which are in short supply. New Zealand earlier this week announced a change in its Covid-19 strategy, deciding to contain the delta variant rather than eliminate it. The disease has claimed only 40 lives out of a population of 5 million, but the authorities have admitted that the delta variant has changed the rules of the game and they need to. Abandoning the zero Covid target .

Chris Hepkins admitted that many residents wanted the border to reopen at Christmas, but said that was unrealistic. “The global pandemic continues, with An increase in the number of cases in Europe And in other parts of the world. So we have to be careful about reopening our borders and that is what we do and what we have always done.” The minister said that from December, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Fiji and Brazil will not be classified as high risk countries.

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