New Zealand reopens

New Zealand has announced a phased re-opening of its borders, as the country starts to ease some of the world's toughest Covid restrictions.

Vaccinated citizens in Australia can go home from 27 February, while jabbed citizens elsewhere will be allowed in from 13 March, said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

They will still have to self-isolate for ten days but the mandatory state quarantine programme will be scrapped.

New Zealanders stranded overseas have welcomed the re-opening.

The announcement comes after growing criticism of Wellington's controversial closed-border policy to keep out the coronavirus.

New Zealand's borders have been shut for nearly two years due to the pandemic.

In that period, the isolated two-island country of 5m people has recorded 53 deaths and about 17,000 Covid cases – very low numbers compared to the rest of the world.

But while the closed border policy has been popular domestically, for New Zealanders overseas caught abroad it has made it near impossible to go home with numerous sad tales reported including a pregnant reporter, who said she had to turn to the Taliban to ask if she could give birth in Afghanistan, after her initial request to return home was rejected.

https://covid19.govt.nz/international-travel/travel-to-new-zealand/when-new-zealand-borders-open

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