뉴질랜드 국경재개방 계획 발표

Covid-19: Risk-based border to open from early 2022 - PM Jacinda Ardern

뉴질랜드 총리는 내년초 부터 저위험, 중위험, 고위험 군으로 나눈것을 기반으로한 국경관리 4단계 계획을 공개했습니다.

올해 하반기에 백신접종을 받은경우 격리시설 대신 집에서 격리하는것을 테스트 할 예정입니다.

- 저위험군 : 저위험 국가에서 백신맞은 여행자 - 격리필요없음

- 중간위험군 : 중간위험 국가에서 백신맞은 여행자 : 자가격리 또는 격리기간 단축등으로 MIQ는 올해 10월~12월 사이에 시험운영됨

- 고위험군 : MIQ에서 14일 격리해야함

9월1일부터는 만16세 이상의 뉴질랜드 국민들은 누구나 백신접종을 할수가 있고 기존 1차 백신접종후 2차 접종까지 3주기간을 6주로 변경했습니다.

요지는 백신 맞은 여행자들은 격리없이 입국을 받는게 최종적인 목표라고 하네요.

New Zealand will begin testing self-isolation instead of MIQ for vaccinated people this year, with a new border system based on low, medium and high-risk entry paths kicking in from early 2022, the government has announced.

Vaccinations will also be open to all eligible ages from 1 September and the gap between first and second doses will be moved to six weeks instead of three, as the government continues with its elimination strategy.

People should also expect the rules around mask wearing and QR code scanning to change at higher alert levels.

The government has been responding to the Skegg report on reconnecting New Zealand with the rest of the world. The report was based on work by a group of public health specialists led by Professor Sir David Skegg, and warned that a full rollout of the vaccine would be required to start opening up to the world.

A forum on the report and the government's response to it has been held in Wellington this morning, revealing the government's four-step plan for border management.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the government would use the second half of this year to vaccinate as many people as possible, and trialling having people isolate at home - instead of in managed isolation facilities - if they have been vaccinated.

"The impact of border closures has been tough. Very tough. It has impacted on loved ones - family and friends being separated, industries accessing skilled employment, or Kiwis just missing that personal sense of connection," she said.

"A careful approach that says 'there won't be zero cases, but when there is one in the community, we crush it' is the best way to maintain our normal lives while we monitor the twists and turns of Covid-19 over the next six months."

The home isolation trial was expected to run from October through December, Ardern said.

"Key to this is maintaining our elimination strategy. The advice is clear, if we open our borders now we will lose the freedoms and advantages we have achieved so far," she said.

She announced the new border system would assess people's risk individually:

Low risk: Vaccinated travellers from low risk countries: no isolation required

Medium risk: Vaccinated travellers from medium risk countries: modified isolation requirements

High risk: Unvaccinated travellers and all travellers from high risk countries: 14 days in MIQ

The system would also require pre-departure tests and further testing for travellers coming into New Zealand, and would be backed by moves to speed up the vaccination rollout.

"Which pathway a traveller takes will be based on the risk associated with where they are coming from and their vaccination status," Ardern said.

"Countries will be grouped according to risk. Factors considered will be the number of cases, prevalence of variants of concern, vaccination rates, and our confidence in the country's strategies for managing outbreaks. We have started already with our approach to very high risk countries, but this will be broadened."

Part of the rollout included a move to focus more on first doses than ensuring full vaccination, and an extended period of six weeks between first and second doses.

"The first step in our plan is speeding up the vaccination process to ensure everyone is at least partially vaccinated as soon as possible to reduce the risk and impact of Delta entering the country," Ardern said.

Eligibility would also open to all age groups earlier than had been planned.

"As already announced 50 plus will be open from Friday 13th August; 40+ will be open on Wednesday 18th August; 30+ will be open on Wednesday 25th August and from 1 September we will be open for all eligible ages," Ardern said.

The four-step plan has the current situation as the first step, with an immediate response and targeted vaccinations, moving to a second stage of vaccinating the wider population and trialling the self-isolation scheme and other measures.

The third stage would include introducing the individual risk-based border, with lockdowns less likely, and the fourth would see vaccinated travellers eligible for quarantine-free travel after returning a negative test.

"Our ultimate goal is to get to quarantine-free travel for all vaccinated travellers ... but we're simply not in a position for a full reopen just yet," Ardern said.