New Zealand will not reopen its borders to foreign travelers for at least another five months

AGI – New Zealand It will not reopen borders to foreign travelers for at least another five months, until April 30, after we have decided to slowly relax some of the most stringent restrictions on the pandemic borders in the world.

Minister Responsible for Covid-19 Chris HepkinsHe said New Zealanders stranded in Australia could return home by mid-January and that kiwis traveling to other regions would be cleared within a month. But foreign nationals will have to wait until the end of April under the plan for a gradual reopening. “We know it has been difficult, but the end of severe travel restrictions is imminent,” Hepkins told reporters.

New Zealand closed its borders in March Last year, it required all international arrivals to undergo a two-week hotel quarantine, a period recently reduced to seven days. Under the new system, Hepkins said, travelers would self-isolate for seven days as long as they were fully vaccinated and passed a series of Covid-19 tests.

The move comes amid growing pressure from New Zealanders staying abroad, frustrated at being unable to reserve seats in the overburdened hotel quarantine system. Local media regularly report news Kiwis who can’t go home to see their dying relatives Visit due to unavailability of quarantine rooms. Hepkins acknowledged that many New Zealanders wanted the borders open for Christmas, but said it was not a realistic expectation.