New Zealand announced Thursday that it would loosen pandemic border curbs in place since March last year and transition to a program of home confinement for fully immunized international visitors beginning early 2021.
New Zealand was one of the first nations to close its borders last year in reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak, and has maintained these severe border controls, stranding many expatriate citizens and residents for months.
From November 14, the government stated properly vaccinated international travelers will be required to stay only seven days in state quarantine facilities, half the existing requirement.
Home quarantine will also be set in motion in the first quarter of 2022, according to New Zealand's COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins.
"As the world begins to reconnect, we are acutely conscious of the strain growing at the borders," Hipkins said during the news conference.
Smaller Pacific nations such as Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu would be able to travel without quarantine starting Noverber 8, he added.
The country, once the model for eradicating the virus, has been unable to contain the current Delta outbreak, prompting officials to forgo an extermination approach in favor of coexistence with the disease.
Nonetheless, it has done much better than many other countries, since strict controls have helped keep COVID-19 cases to roughly 5,900 in total and only 28 fatalities.
However, the travel restrictions enraged many, most recently Olympic sailing gold champion and five-time America's Cup winner Russell Coutts.
He stated that packed stadiums at sports events such as the English Premier League and Europe's Champions League, as well as the Ryder Cup golf competition, demonstrated that people from other nations are learning to cope and live with the virus.
"While some, possibly many, people remain quite optimistic, life has largely returned to normal in many locations around the world. However, it's not what we are told here in New Zealand," Coutts said on Facebook.
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced last week that the country's severe lockdown restrictions will be lifted after 90% of the eligible population is completely vaccinated.
Around 72% of those eligible have received a complete vaccination, while approximately 87% have received a first dose.
