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At his weekly press conference updating progress on the vaccination roll out today, Hipkins essentially slapped another padlock on the border gate, warning people requirements for isolation will stay the same at least until the end of the year and likely beyond that. "I'm still working on the basis that certainly for this year people will be in MIQ for 14 days probably into early next year as well but we haven't made any firm decisions about that," Hipkins said. That means double vaccinated people returning to New Zealand will still need to snare a spot in MIQ and stay there the full 14 days.

However, Hipkins said as vaccination rates increase other options could be considered. "Longer term and again I don't want to put a timeframe on this but it might include things like alternative isolation options like people isolating at home when they come into the country. "But that's a way away it's not going to happen this year I don't think and certainly in the early part of next year I'd imagine that things are going to continue in much the same way as they are now," Hipkins said.
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