The country accumulates some 6,000 infections (probable and confirmed) since the beginning of the pandemic, including 28 deaths.
New Zealand announced this Thursday that it will reduce the mandatory quarantine for travelers arriving from abroad from 14 to 7 days, as a preliminary step to the reopening of international borders.
The country, which applies one of the strictest policies in the world against the pandemic, will also expand on November 8 the quarantine-free travel bubbles it already has with Australia and the Cook Islands to the island states of Samoa, Tonga and Tokelau, reported the Minister of Response against covid-19, Chris Hipkins.
Under the tough border closure policy, implemented since March 2020, New Zealand only allows the return of its residents and citizens stranded abroad, as well as other exemptions for specific humanitarian or business reasons.
However, many New Zealanders abroad strongly criticize the authorities’ measures given the great difficulty of returning to their country due to the shortage of beds in quarantine centers.
Last week, the government of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern set the goal of reaching 90% of complete vaccination to begin the economic and country reopening.
The authorities, who have not specified a date on when they will reach the mark, have so far administered the two doses of the vaccine against covid-19 to 72% of the target population and one to 87%.
New Zealand, which reported 97 new local infections of covid-19 on Thursday, has kept the inhabitants of Auckland, its most populated city, confined since mid-August.
The country accumulates some 6,000 infections (probable and confirmed) since the beginning of the pandemic, including 28 deaths. (I)
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
