JamesBigglesworth

Pardon? Care to expand on that?

Mwenenzi

Did hear on the radio a day or so ago, about ~600 people forfeited rooms when they did not enter flight details. That is data the govt should be publishing.
Many to most of these 5015 people will be doubled jabbed, but get no credit for that. Link-->Vaccinated NZers overseas demand access to home isolation
Is still a better system than for AU, but going to a points system as some in NZ are advocating, is not likely IMHO. How many points for what criteria would have an endless debate.

NZ govt web sites
MIQ’s fourth voucher release via virtual lobby - 12 Oct 2021
NZ Govt-->
MIQ’s third voucher release via virtual lobby - 5 Oct 2021
MIQ’s second voucher release via virtual lobby

edit 2

malmostoso

I think home quarantine is inevitable. The MIQ system will quickly lose political favour when it's new zealanders (better, voting new zealanders) that will start being sent there instead of faceless "foreigners" coming in on a "holiday" flight.

December is a long way away, but my wild guess is that they'll hold on to MIQ until Christmas and then drop it in the new year, unless the situation gets completely out of control and NZ will just shut down entirely.

Silver Fox

Isn't part of the problem that there is no defintion from the govt as to what "completely out of control is"? I know my relatives on the south island have done a bit of an about turn on their attitude to the approach and the uncertainty that has led to, and another lockdown will not be as well supported. "Cancelling" Christmas will not be very popular with kiwis if they cannot get back for another year, so I am wondering if the accelerated vaccination program is to try and relieve the pressure on the health system and to move away from MIQ as soon as possible. I'm not criticising the approach here, just wondering what the likely path out of this.

malmostoso

The most infuriating part seems to be that the NZ government hasn't worked out an exit strategy in the 18 months of advantage that closing up gave them. And now they are going through the same stages of grief that we went through in Europe starting from summer 2020, where no measure actually seems to make sense.

I've long ago decided to stop worrying and just enjoy working from home and ordering take away. I got my shots, my kids are going to school, I won't be bothered further, but I have an angry kiwi at home that really wants to see her family

freed0m

I would say, in the last 18 months, the kiwis are living a much better life than the rest of the world. They don't have to worry about COVID and almost everything is open, except travel overseas.

malmostoso

True. What I disagree with is that they don't have to worry about covid. The virus is now spreading in the community, and might get out of control precisely because people are not used to it. I obviously hope it won't, of course!

freed0m

They could choose to live just like the rest of world. Fully vaccinated and without worry.

snic

I thought the exit strategy was along the lines of "get everyone vaccinated and then gradually open borders, depending on what variants are circulating in the rest of the world and how resistant to them vaccinated New Zealanders are." It wouldn't make sense to spell out a specific exit strategy or timeline only to have to change it in response to changing circumstances such as new vaccine-resistant variants.

I guess one could have wished that the vaccinations had happened more quickly. But my sense was that the government was taking its time in order to observe what happened with vaccinations in other countries. If one of the vaccines had proved more dangerous than initial studies indicated, that would have been seen as a very prudent strategy. Now it seems a bit misguided but at the time I could see why it made sense because the isolation strategy was working, it was accepted by the vast majority if New Zealanders, and therefore there didn't seem to be a need to rush the vaccinations.

malmostoso

I think you're right, it's mostly hindsight and let's be honest, any decision taken in this matter worldwide has been "wrong" in some way, it has been impossible to please everyone.

I find the idea of a country not accepting their own citizens to be deeply wrong, though. Anyway, hopefully this will end soon

Silver Fox

As a perm res I got this yesterday, it might be elsewhere:

Kia ora,

From 1 November 2021, non-New Zealand citizens aged 17 years and over must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter New Zealand.

New Zealand permanent residents and temporary visa holders are not New Zealand citizens and will need to declare vaccination or exemption:

• when booking places in managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ)
• when checking in for the flight (evidence will be required), and
• to Customs officers in New Zealand (evidence will be required).

The last dose of an approved course of vaccine must have been taken at least 14 days before travel. Travellers who fail to meet requirements will not be permitted to board their flight.

Mwenenzi

May catch some PR's-visa holders who are vaccine hesitant/anti vax or from a country where NZ approved vaccines are hard to get
Did the email link to approved list?
NZ govt

• New vaccination requirement for non-citizen travellers to New Zealand
• Approved vaccines

Silver Fox

First yes, second no.

Mwenenzi

(rnz.co.nz)--->Covid-19 community case reported in the South Island with positive test in Blenheim
In NZ had rapid testing everyone could be(should be) tested before boarding flights/ferry to the South Island. Would stop some (but not all)

exp

Wow test because of sore throat, not even fever or other symptoms?

I've had sore throat a couple of times this summer while traveling. Never tested positive. But I didn't get tested because of sore throat, just testing before flights.