Connect with us

Привет, что-то ищете?

The Times On Ru
  1. The Times On RU
  2. /
  3. Новости
  4. /
  5. New Zealand tightens border again amid fears over new Covid ..

Новости

New Zealand tightens border again amid fears over new Covid strain

New Zealand has further tightened border controls amid mounting anxiety about the new strain of coronavirus driving up infections overseas.

Six cases of the new variant of the virus – five in arrivals from the UK and one from South Africa – were recorded in managed isolation facilities in the two weeks leading up to Christmas.

Travellers to New Zealand from the US and UK will now be required to show a negative test for Covid-19 before departure, as well as taking a test on their arrival in quarantine in addition to those on days three and 12. The border remains mostly closed to non-citizens.

Golden ticket: the lucky tourists sitting out coronavirus in New Zealand

Read more

The Ministry of Health said in a statement on Sunday that these were “extra precautionary steps [to] provide another layer of protection” against the new strain of coronavirus, recorded in more than 30 countries.

Though there has been no community transmission of coronavirus in New Zealand since 18 November, Auckland University microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles said the new variant – which is reported to be more infectious – would challenge the country’s safeguards. “If there are any chinks in the chain, it will find them,” she told Stuff.

For New Zealanders in the UK and the US wanting to come home, the new requirement to obtain a test is an additional barrier on top of flight cancellations and the long wait for a vacancy in quarantine.

The vast majority of the 5,800 spots in the 32 managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities across New Zealand were occupied over Christmas and New Year in Kiwis’ rush to return. Stuff reports that the earliest available vacancy was in mid-March.

Though spots do become available at last minute, the date of arrival at MIQ needs to be matched against a confirmed flight booking, though according to Stuff, the government is set to relax this somewhat due to ongoing disruptions.

Ardern unveils New Zealand Covid vaccine deals as economy rebounds

Read more

Wiles had earlier cautioned the government against requiring a negative test result pre-departure, saying that it would not necessarily work to protect New Zealand and may impose an unfair barrier to entry, with Covid-19 tests hard and often expensive to access in the US and UK.

On top of “the problem of who can afford the test,” Wiles told Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report programme last week, “… there’s no guarantee that when you get tested and you test negative, that you then wouldn’t become positive en route to the airport, or on the plane.”

The opposition National party has been pushing for the measure since August, with spokesman Chris Bishop telling Morning Report that the next step would be to make a negative result a requirement of all arrivals, not just those from the US and UK.

“We’ve simply got to keep Covid out of New Zealand, the prospect of more lockdowns and more community transmissions in New Zealand is not something I think anyone listening would want and we simply have to have a hard line.”

Within New Zealand, public health officials are urging against complacency with a campaign for Kiwis to keep up with Covid-safe behaviours. Large gatherings of young people have been identified as a particular risk.

The government’s “make summer unstoppable” campaign has targeted partygoers presenting with coughs to “sit this one out” and installed “sani-squads” to dole out hand sanitiser at music festivals.

The Rhythm and Vines festival over New Year’s Eve was interrupted by a public service announcement from Dr Ashley Bloomfield, the director-general of health – set to a dubstep beat.


Elle Hunt
(@elle_hunt)

A New Year’s Eve music festival in New Zealand, feat. beloved public health official Ashley Bloomfieldpic.twitter.com/TveiLB196b

January 2, 2021

Оставить комментарий

Leave a Reply

Ваш адрес email не будет опубликован. Обязательные поля помечены *

Стоит Посмотреть

Новости По Дате

Январь 2021
Пн Вт Ср Чт Пт Сб Вс
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031

Вам может быть интересно:

Спорт

Zen Чемпионка Европы по фигурному катанию Алена Косторная заявила изданию Sport, что пропустит сразу два соревновательных сезона «для решения личных проблем». Что скрывается за...

Общество

ZenДОНЕЦК, 3 ноября. Число раненых в результате атаки украинского беспилотника на станцию ​​Никитовка в Горловке в ДНР возросло до двух человек, сообщил мэр города...

Бизнес

В третьем квартале 2024 года более 70% особо критических киберинцидентов были связаны с компрометацией учетных записей сотрудников. По данным центра противодействия кибератакам Solar JSOC...

Спорт

Дзен Ровно 95 лет назад родился советский вратарь Лев Яшин. В 1963 году он стал обладателем главной индивидуальной награды в мировом футболе — «Золотого...