Covid 19 coronavirus: The science and law are clear it s time for NZ to turn down the travel tap
29 Jan, 2021 01:23 AM
5 minutes to read
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OPINION:
Despite a recent best-in-the-world ranking for its handling of Covid-19, New Zealand remains at risk as the pandemic intensifies globally.
With more infectious variants of the virus emerging, there are many persisting concerns.
In particular, the number of infected people entering managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities at the border is increasing. This pressure contributes to the risk of border failures, which are now regular.
We argue the time has come to turn down the tap of infected travellers coming from so-called red zone countries where the pandemic is out of control. We have already advocated for a traffic light system to achieve this.
One option is to reduce the risk of infected travellers getting on flights by using brief pre-departure quarantine and COVID-19 testing in carefully designed ways.
For example, an additional low-cost, rapid antigen test prior to boarding, plus clear instructions to passengers about the need for a period of pre-travel self-quarantine to reduce their risk of infection, could be a prerequisite.
Tighter measures available