Low-risk vaccinated travelers to be allowed in New Zealand without quarantining

Vaccinated travelers coming to New Zealand from low-risk countries could skip quarantine protocols in the country as soon as early next year, the country’s prime minister said on Thursday.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern broadly outlined coronavirus protocol for countries with three gradations of COVID-19 risk, The Guardian reported. She anticipated that for those coming to the country from low COVID-19 risk countries, travelers would not need to quarantine.

For those entering from medium-risk countries, individuals would go to a quarantine hotel temporarily or self-isolate. However, for those in high-risk countries or those who are unvaccinated, travelers would be expected to go through government-managed isolation for two weeks, the news outlet reported.

“We’re simply not in a position to fully reopen just yet. When we move we will be careful and deliberate, because we want to move with confidence and with as much certainty as possible,” Ardern said, according to Reuters. 

New Zealand has been lauded for its management of the pandemic, and has only seen 26 deaths and 2,548 confirmed cases, per data from the World Health Organization.

The country saw just two confirmed cases reported on Wednesday, which is a stark difference to other countries, including the U.S., that have seen a surge of new cases. 

Ardern cautioned that those plans could change depending on what happens in the next six months, including how well the country is able to quicken its rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.

She said that she anticipates anyone ages 16 and up would be able to set up an appointment to receive their first shot by Sept. 1, the wire service noted. In an effort to make sure residents have at least one dose of the shot, appointments between doses will be spaced out six weeks.

The Guardian reported that 34 percent of people ages 16 and older in the country were partially vaccinated and 20 percent were fully vaccinated.