Travellers from the Pacific could be coming to New Zealand quarantine free within the fortnight.
This is according to the latest changes to Managed Isolation and Quarantine announced by the Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins.
Under the new MIQ regime, which will begin from 14 November, arrivals must be fully vaccinated and will be tested on days 0, 3 and 6 and undertake a rapid antigen test before leaving MIQ, before a day-9 test at home.
Mr Hipkins says this will free up about 1500 rooms a month in MIQ.
The second step will reopen the border to low-risk travellers from Samoa, Tonga and Tokelau without isolation.
This one-way quarantine-free travel will begin from 8 November.
Koroi Hawkins spoke to Otago University professor of Public Health, Nick Wilson.
He began by asking him what he thought about the Pacific countries named to be eligible for quarantine free travel.
Photo: Rotorua Daily Post / Andrew Warner via LDR
