Trans-Tasman bubble (Quarantine-Free Travel)

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#2717612 3-Jun-2021 12:02

tdgeek:

quickymart:

I wonder if it gets to a stage where most people everywhere are vaccinated if they can then come? I have some friends from France who would love to come here again to visit but they're not citizens, however if they got their coronavirus vaccinations and could show it...maybe they would be allowed in then? Just a thought - although I'm sure this has probably crossed the minds of those at Immigration at least a few times already.

I guess that's what they call opening the borders in 2022. Everyone welcome, and while that will bring Covid in with no obstruction, it will be endemic and that's the way it will have to be, there isn't a choice

The PM has said It wont be a "Everyone welcome" switch, it will be a progressive opening, and I imagine it will be based on country profiles along with traveller vaccination status...

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#2717629 3-Jun-2021 12:24

wellygary:

The PM has said It wont be a "Everyone welcome" switch, it will be a progressive opening, and I imagine it will be based on country profiles along with traveller vaccination status...

I doubt she knows what it will be, no one does. Everyone welcome are just my words. If everyone who wanted to come here was vaccinated, why would a country profile matter? Most countries have it bad and the variants seem to be traversing the globe, and by then the mess of Covid will continue to be well spread everywhere.

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#2717819 3-Jun-2021 18:00

Press release:

Following the Victorian Government’s decision to extend their lockdown restrictions, New Zealand’s Quarantine Free Travel pause with Victoria will also be extended for a further six days, with a further review due on Wednesday 9 June, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.

I acknowledge this extension will cause further inconvenience to those who have already had their travel plans disrupted.

I also acknowledge that having been prevented from returning for almost two weeks, New Zealanders will be wanting some certainty around when they can start to plan to come home.

The Government has announced plans for the carefully managed commencement of return ‘green flights’ from Melbourne to New Zealand, from Tuesday 8 June at 11:59pm.

Travel on such flights will be limited to New Zealand citizens, Australian citizens normally resident in New Zealand, people with humanitarian exemptions and critical workers who are stranded in Victoria.

Officials are continuing to work on details of how seats will be allocated if demand for these flights exceeds supply. These details will be provided on the COVID-19 website in coming days.

Anyone boarding these flights will need to have a negative pre-departure test taken less than 72 hours before departure.

The Nau Mai Rā contact information and health declaration must also be completed before departure to confirm travellers have not been at a location of interest.

New Zealand health officials have conducted an assessment of the public health risk and have determined that by 9 June, the risk to public health of people returning from Melbourne will be low.

The commencement of flights recognises that by then, people currently in Victoria will have completed 14 days in lockdown. This reflects the equivalent time which might have been spent in managed isolation in New Zealand.

Pause extended

Today’s advice from New Zealand public health officials has been that the travel pause should continue. While the source of the outbreak is known and the majority of the cases are linked, there remain some where the epidemiological link is yet to be established. Extensive contact tracing and testing continues, and no cases outside of Victoria have been found.

Other states and territories in Australia have imposed restrictions and requirements on travellers from Victoria ranging from excluding travellers who have visited the locations of interest to prohibiting entry of anyone in the State of Victoria.

New Zealand officials have assessed the current risk as medium for Melbourne but decreasing for the greater Melbourne area.

Additional information for travellers elsewhere in Australia is:

Anyone who was in Victoria between 20 – 25 May but is now in another Australian state can fly to New Zealand but will need to get a negative pre-departure test taken 72 hours before departure
This includes people from Victoria, located outside the Greater Melbourne lockdown area. To get on a QFT flight they will need to travel to another state and take a pre-departure test less than 72 hours before departure.
Anyone who is currently in any part of Australia but has been to any of the locations of interest in Victoria or New South Wales at the times specified CANNOT travel to New Zealand within 14 days from when they were at the location.
People who have been at a location of interest at the times specified are asked to continue following health advice from Victoria and New South Wales regarding isolation and testing.
Airlines will be asking travellers to declare whether they have been at one of the locations of interest, and travellers that have been to locations of interest will not be permitted to board the aircraft, from any border in Australia

Monitoring of the Victorian cases by New Zealand public health officials will continue.

Anyone in New Zealand who visited a location of interest area at the specified time is unable to travel and remains covered by a Section 70 notice has been issued under the Health Act. More information is available on the Ministry of Health website here: https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-response-planning/covid-19-epidemic-notice-and-orders

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#2721234 9-Jun-2021 14:38

"Everybody lies" (Dr House)

Covid 19 coronavirus: Vaccine rollout update, Melbourne mourners caught sneaking into New Zealand - NZ Herald

A group of people from Melbourne have been put into managed isolation in New Zealand after misleading officials about where they were travelling from.

Up to three people were caught at the New Zealand border last week trying to get into this country without declaring they had initially come from Melbourne, Victoria.

It is understood they planned to attend a funeral while in this country.

The trio were transferred into MIQ where they will stay for 14 days, Bloomfield said. They have all tested negative, and their three-day test results are due tomorrow.

"The most immediate consequence for them is 14 days in MIQ, which they will have to pay for."

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#2724034 10-Jun-2021 21:32

Press release:

Following an assessment of the COVID-19 outbreak in greater Melbourne, New Zealand’s Quarantine Free Travel pause with Victoria will continue for a further seven days, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.

There are now 93 cases associated with the outbreak in greater Melbourne, spread over four clusters. Contact tracing efforts have identified more than 15,000 close contacts.

While the cases in the greater Melbourne outbreak are genomically linked to cases arriving from overseas, there are at least three cases where an epidemiological link is still to be confirmed.

“While the overall risk to New Zealand is low, today’s advice from New Zealand public health officials is that the travel pause should continue,” Chris Hipkins says.

“The Government is taking a precautionary approach in continuing the pause, which will be reviewed again next Wednesday.”

Everyone who is eligible can continue returning on “green flights”, meaning they will not be required to isolate when they arrive home. However they must provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three-days of departure.

“These pre-departure measures, in addition to a further pause on Quarantine Free Travel, will continue to ensure New Zealand is best placed to keep COVID-19 out,” Chris Hipkins says.

Advice for Queensland and New South Wales travellers

Quarantine Free Travel to Queensland and New South Wales will remain in place as New Zealand public health officials deemed the risk from two new positive COVID-19 cases in Queensland to be low.

Anyone who was in in the New South Wales towns of Dubbo, Forbes, Gillenbah or Moree between June 1-5, or in Queensland in Toowoomba, Caloundra, Buddina and Baringa between June 5-8 should check the following websites to determine whether they were at any locations of interest:

https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/contact-tracing

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/case-locations-and-alerts.aspx

Anyone at these locations of interest at the specified times should call Healthline on 0800 358 5453, get tested and self-isolate until they return a negative result.

Anyone who was at a location of interest at the specified times also cannot travel to New Zealand within 14 days of the exposure event.

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#2730368 17-Jun-2021 19:07

Press release:

Following a further public health assessment of the COVID-19 outbreak in greater Melbourne, New Zealand’s Quarantine Free Travel pause with Victoria has been extended to 11.59pm on Tuesday 22 June, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says.

It has been determined that the risk to public health in New Zealand continues to decrease and, at this time, public health officials consider it unlikely there is further widespread community transmission in the state. However, in line with our precautionary approach we consider this short extension to be prudent.

New Zealand health officials will keep a close watch on developments in the state but at this point their advice is that we would expect to be in a position to lift the pause at the end of the five-day extension. This will be reviewed if the situation changes.

There are now 100 cases associated with the outbreak in the greater Melbourne area, spread across all clusters. The most recent report of a case being infectious in the community was 8 June, until the case announced this week of a nurse who may have worked a hospital shift while infectious.

We acknowledge the pause in Quarantine Free Travel continues to inconvenience those who have had their travel plans disrupted.

Everyone who is eligible can already return on “green flights”, meaning they are not required to isolate when they arrive home. However, they must provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure. A PCR test is required.

Information about Quarantine Free Travel between Victoria and New Zealand is available on the COVID19 website:

https://covid19.govt.nz/travel/quarantine-free-travel/australia/

New South Wales

New Zealand health officials are also reviewing details of cases announced yesterday in New South Wales which appear to have a clear link to the border.

It is expected that further information will be provided on the NSW cases later today.

Anyone in New Zealand who visited a location of interest at the specified time in Victoria, New South Wales or Queensland is unable to travel and remains covered by a Section 70 notice, which has been issued under the Health Act.

More information is available on the Ministry of Health website here: https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-response-planning/covid-19-epidemic-notice-and-orders

In the meantime, these cases in Australia are an important reminder that we should remain vigilant and stick to the basics – use the NZ COVID-19 Tracer app, stay put if you are sick, and wear a mask on all flights and public transport, Chris Hipkins says.

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#2730676 18-Jun-2021 14:40

To those planning on jumping across the ditch, Queensland is the latest state to require a Border Declaration be submitted in advance of travel to the state from anywhere, including New Zealand.

tdgeek

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#2730794 18-Jun-2021 17:16

Kyanar:

To those planning on jumping across the ditch, Queensland is the latest state to require a Border Declaration be submitted in advance of travel to the state from anywhere, including New Zealand.

Not planning. I have family there, GC golf trip with the lads. No go. Too much hassle and risk, I'll spend my Kiwi dollars in Kiwi land, which by all accounts is going very well.

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#2732830 22-Jun-2021 20:56

Bubble travel to NSW paused:

New Zealand’s Quarantine Free Travel from New South Wales to New Zealand will be paused while the source of infection of new cases announced in Sydney is investigated, says COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins.

There are 10 new community cases of COVID-19 today in New South Wales, taking the Australian State’s recent community cases linked to the cluster to 21.

The pause will come into force from 11.59pm NZT and be in place for 72 hours initially. As with previous pauses, it will be under constant review.

This decision follows a public health assessment today which determined that while the overall risk to public health in New Zealand currently remains low, there are still several unknowns, including a case that was infectious while in the Sydney community and a primary school age child with no clear link established at present.

The Government is taking a precautionary approach and will review the decision to pause again on Thursday.

Anyone who has only been in Norfolk Island and not in NSW is still eligible for Quarantine Free Travel.

Updated advice for travellers from New South Wales

New Zealand health officials are also updating their advice for anyone already in New Zealand who has recently visited Sydney’s Westfield Bondi Junction mall.

It follows a new case of COVID-19 reported in Sydney today, connected to the busy mall, which is popular with locals and New Zealand visitors.

In line with NSW Health’s advice: anyone in New Zealand who was at Westfield Bondi Junction (including the car park) in Sydney’s Bondi Junction at any time between 12 June and 18 June should contact Healthline on 0800 358 5453, get tested and stay at home until they get a negative test result, or remain isolated if instructed.

NSW public health officials are continuing to add new locations of interest. Anyone who has been in Sydney since 11 June should check the NSW Health website.

Anyone at these locations of interest at the specified times should call Healthline on 0800 358 5453, get tested and self-isolate until they return a negative result.

Anyone who was at a location of interest at the specified times also cannot travel to New Zealand within 14 days of the exposure event.

This is also a reminder that anyone with symptoms, not just recent travellers, should get tested for COVID-19.

New Zealand public health officials are regularly reviewing developments in the Australian State and advice will be updated, if and when required.

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#2732874 23-Jun-2021 07:30

So we know the main reason for this pause now is the fact somebody flew over while possibly infected. It would be interesting to know if the pause would have occured had this not been the case because a single case with no known transmission path by itself would not necessarily trigger an immediate move to amber on the traffic light system.

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#2732877 23-Jun-2021 07:38

10 new cases, now 21.

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#2733381 23-Jun-2021 23:06

Jesus, this tourist went almost everywhere didn't he. No wonder Wellington's in level 2 now.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/wellington/300340318/covid19-nz-57-hours-in-wellington--how-a-sydney-tourists-capital-weekend-went-awry

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#2733384 23-Jun-2021 23:50

sbiddle:

So we know the main reason for this pause now is the fact somebody flew over while possibly infected. It would be interesting to know if the pause would have occured had this not been the case because a single case with no known transmission path by itself would not necessarily trigger an immediate move to amber on the traffic light system.

Sydneys premier seems to be refusing to put them into lockdown. So they aren't even following the same elimination policy that NZ follows. So I don't know how we could have have bubble with them. Melbournes policies around Covid seem to match NZs. I think the bubble needs to end. If we get an outbreak in Wellington as a result of what has happened, it is potentially going to cost billions of dollars. Even now it will cost many millions of dollars with events tat have had to be cancelled.. Total false economy having it open if the policies don't match. I think some of the decision makers in NZ didn't access the risks properly and should have closed the border last week to Sydney / NSW when it was clear the outbreak wasn't ring fenced. We did also have that issue previously in Auckland when alert levels were dropped too early , and they had to go back up a level when new cases popped up. But there doesn't seem to be much criticism in the media, only heard one commentator questioning it.

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#2733392 24-Jun-2021 07:25

mattwnz:

Sydneys premier seems to be refusing to put them into lockdown. So they aren't even following the same elimination policy that NZ follows. So I don't know how we could have have bubble with them. Melbournes policies around Covid seem to match NZs. I think the bubble needs to end. If we get an outbreak in Wellington as a result of what has happened, it is potentially going to cost billions of dollars. Even now it will cost many millions of dollars with events tat have had to be cancelled.. Total false economy having it open if the policies don't match. I think some of the decision makers in NZ didn't access the risks properly and should have closed the border last week to Sydney / NSW when it was clear the outbreak wasn't ring fenced. We did also have that issue previously in Auckland when alert levels were dropped too early , and they had to go back up a level when new cases popped up. But there doesn't seem to be much criticism in the media, only heard one commentator questioning it.

I get all that and largely agree. If we went early and it was found to be no Covid here, MoH gets criticised for ruining the country. If we went later as you imply we have, and we have an outbreak MoH gets criticised. If we get any CT, even just one, MoH gets criticised. MoH has been criticised from day one. Yet we seem to have been living a normal life for a long time now. No one knows the best time, that can only be found after the fact. Its worked well here as rugby watchers will tell you every weekend from the many stadiums around here

The bubble seemed to be a good idea, but its been proven not to be the case. The bubble needs to be for vaccinated people only, and while that also carries risk, its a pretty low risk. Pauses would still need to happen, but spreading an outbreak would be a far lower risk than now

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#2733394 24-Jun-2021 07:52

tdgeek:

The bubble needs to be for vaccinated people only, and while that also carries risk, its a pretty low risk. Pauses would still need to happen, but spreading an outbreak would be a far lower risk than now

I'd feel better about this had we not punted young people down the list of people to get vaccinated. After the whole 'Everyone get on board, team of five million etc', it's not a particularly kind thing to then say "Oh and by the way, our stuff-up on the rollout time-frames (promising them or the actual delivery, either way) means other people get to travel and you just have to wait around like a schnook".

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