Daily Archives: February 3, 2022

New Zealand has announced it will reopen its border to visitors in stages, starting at the end of February, after its earlier plans to do so were derailed by Omicron. It will be the first time the country has opened up since prime minister Jacinda Ardern announced its snap closure in the first month of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The countrys borders have been closed, apart from a short-lived travel bubble with Australia, for nearly two years.

With Omicrons arrival, we pushed that change in border settings out to give ourselves the chance to roll out boosters a chance most other countries never had, Ardern said in a speech on Thursday.

With our community better protected we must turn to the importance of reconnection. Families and friends need to reunite. Our businesses need skills to grow. Exporters need to travel to make new connections.

The border will initially open to vaccinated New Zealand citizens and visa holders coming from Australia, then from the rest of the world, and finally to all other vaccinated visitors. They will still have to self-isolate at home for 10 days, but will no longer have to pass through the countrys expensive and highly space-limited managed isolation facilities, known as MIQ.

Its easy to hear the word MIQ and immediately associate it with heartache. There is no question that, for New Zealand, it has been one of the hardest parts of the pandemic. But the reason that it is right up there as one of the toughest things we have experienced, is in part because large-scale loss of life is not, Ardern said.

Fully vaccinated New Zealanders and other eligible travellers from Australia will be able to enter New Zealand without staying in MIQ from Sunday 27 February. Two weeks later, they can come from all other countries. Critical workers and skilled workers will be eligible to enter New Zealand from this date. The working holiday scheme will also resume.

Ardern said the two-week gap will enable public health systems to adjust for the likelihood of more cases in the community, and will allow the border systems to keep scaling up in the safest way possible.

From 12 April, 5,000 international students and other eligible temporary visa holders will be allowed to enter. After that, the border opens to Australians and other travellers who do not require a visa to enter New Zealand.

This stage is likely to begin when we have much larger case numbers than we have now. For planning, we anticipate this stage will begin no later than July. I want to place strong emphasis on this being the latest we expect this to begin, Ardern said.

All other international visitors will be allowed to enter New Zealand from October.

The self-isolation period will align with New Zealands current system for managing close contacts of cases. As the isolation period drops for close contacts, so too will returnees only need to isolate for seven days. Anyone entering will be given three rapid antigen tests to take home. All non-vaccinated travellers and other high-risk travellers will still be required to enter MIQ.

The announcement will provide relief for many New Zealanders overseas. A group that represents some of this cohort, Grounded Kiwis, said the move to self-isolation will enable more people to return home.

Kiwis will no longer need to endure a stressful lottery to get home. Many people in our network are overwhelmed with emotion right now. This moment has been a long time coming.

But it believes 27 February should be open to New Zealanders from across the globe, not just Australia: Many of these individuals have been waiting for months already, are due to start new jobs or university in February, and in many cases are coming from locations with lower levels of Omicron than Australia.

Grounded Kiwis has urged the government to show more flexibility over allocating MIQ places for people in emergencies, until the self-isolation requirements come into effect.

Professor Michael Plank, at Te Pnaha Matatini and the University of Canterbury said 50 border cases per day could easily turn into 500, if travel restrictions were removed completely and the number of arrives sharply increased. The timeframe for the first re-opening step on 27 February looks reasonable.

By that time, it is likely that daily case numbers will be in the thousands and the vast majority of vaccinated adults will be eligible for their booster. Self-isolation and testing requirements for arrivals will dampen the effect of border cases on community transmission, while removing the bottleneck of MIQ and allowing us to monitor for possible new variants.

STEP 1 27 February 2022, from 11.59pm:

Reopen to New Zealanders and other eligible travellers under current border settings (e.g. people with border exceptions) from Australia

STEP 2 13 March 2022, from 11:59 pm:

Reopen to New Zealanders and other eligible travellers under current border settings from the rest of the world

Open to skilled workers earning at least 1.5 times the median wage

Open to Working Holiday Scheme visas

STEP 3 12 April 2022, from 11:59 pm:

Open to current offshore temporary visa holders, who can still meet the relevant visa requirements,

Open to up to 5,000 international students for semester two

Further class exceptions for critical workforces that do not meet the 1.5 times the median wage test will be considered

STEP 4 By July 2022:

Open to anyone from Australia

Open for visa-waiver travel

The Accredited Employer Work Visa will open, meaning the skilled and health worker border exception can be phased out

STEP 5 October 2022:

Border fully reopens to visitors from anywhere in the world, and all visa categories fully reopen.

Excerpt from:

New Zealand border will open in stages from end of ...

In 2012, New Zealand's Aoraki Mackenzie community successfully applied to the IDA to become an accredited dark sky reserve. An inland plain region about 180km south-west of Christchurch, where large country sheep stations have been the norm for more than a century, Aoraki Mackenzie is rugged, isolated country dominated by mountain and lake scenery.

Today, Aoraki Mackenzie's 4,300sq km dark reserve is the only one of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and just one of 18 in the world. Two New Zealand communities, Great Barrier Island and Rakiura Stewart Island, have since become sanctuaries, with Wai-iti, a 135-hectare hunk of council land in Tasman District, now an IDA-certified dark sky park. Another 20 New Zealand dark sky communities including the Wairarapa are looking to follow suit and gain some form of certification.

You may also be interested in:Australia's answer to the Northern LightsThe tiny island of shooting starsNew Zealand's 180-million-year-old forest

In 2019, it was Dark Skies Group Director at the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand, Steve Butler, who daringly announced the country's plans to become the world's first dark sky nation. "It was more of an aspirational rather than a hard-and-fast goal," he told me recently. "The IDA doesn't yet have an official dark sky nation designation. But when it does New Zealand will be first in line."

"Are we obsessed as a people? Probably. We're definitely uniquely advantaged," he explained. "Look, Kiwis are an outdoor people with easy access to the natural dark skies of the Southern Hemisphere. Very few of us have grown up without being awed by New Zealand's night skies, particularly those you see in national parks like Aoraki Mackenzie or Rakiura Stewart Island. Sure, not all of us know how to find the Southern Cross, but we're a far cry from 80% of the world's population who can't even see the stars of the night sky."

That's why when New Zealanders were asked to comply with the IDA's rigorous requirements to restrict outdoor lighting and switch to low-powered yellow lighting in regions such as Aoraki Mackenzie and elsewhere, by-and-large they were up for it, Butler explained. It's why Butler is confident even the country's urban centres, over time, will find ways to limit artificial light spilling into natural areas and reduce light use generally. It's also why more and more New Zealanders are joining the global chorus to save the world's night skies.

Go here to read the rest:

Saving the night sky: New Zealand's craziest experiment yet? - BBC News

There are 147 new cases of Covid-19 in the community and 44 at the border, the Ministry of Health is reporting today.

Photo: 123RF

In a statement, the ministry said the new community cases were in Northland (14), Auckland (90), Waikato (15), Rotorua (8), Taup (1), Bay of Plenty (8), Hawke's Bay (7) and Wellington (4).

A person admitted to Wellington Hospital has tested positive for Covid-19, Capital and Coast DHB confirmed this morning. The ministry said there were another 12 people in hospital in Auckland, rotorua and Hawke's Bay.

There are no people in intensive care.

Today's 44 new cases at the border came from Italy ,Pakistan, Egypt, Singapore, Australia, India, USA, Fiji, UAE, Turkey Saudi Arabia, Canada, Thailand, Qatar and Nepal.

On Wednesday, there were 142 new cases reported in the community and 54 at the border.

There have now been 16,630 cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand since the pandemic began.

There were 1113 first doses, 2030 second doses, 5725 paediatric doses and 36,230 booster doses given yesterday.

The ministry said the Waikato region will today reach 90 percent first dosed for Mori.

With the long weekend ahead for Waitangi Day, the ministry also warned New Zealanders to have plans in place in case they are identified as a close contact, get Covid-19 symptoms, or find out they have the coronavirus.

"You are likely to need to self-isolate wherever you become a close contact or test positive, so there may be extra costs involved in paying for accommodation and changing your travel plans.

"There are limited alternative accommodation options for those who are unable to safely isolate in their own homes or if they have travelled elsewhere, and as case numbers rise, the accommodation will be focused on those with high needs."

The ministry said travel could also contribute to the spread of Covid-19 and anyone with any symptoms should not travel.

"The most common early symptoms of the Omicron variant are a sore or scratchy throat, and a runny nose. If you have any of these symptoms, please get a test."

Go here to read the rest:

Covid-19 update: 147 new community cases reported in New Zealand today - RNZ

Sunrise co-hosts Natalie Barr and David Koch have been left horrified by New Zealands ridiculous hotel quarantine system after speaking to a family stuck in isolation for a month.

The Williamsons, consisting of mum Casey, dad Glen, and children Sam, Luca and Maya, flew into Auckland on January 16 after spending Christmas with family in Sydney.

Watch their story in the video player above

Five days into their mandatory 10-day lock-up, Luca tested positive, extending the whole groups quarantine period.

The family was told that while she could leave 14 days after her positive test, everyone else must complete a further 10 days of isolation after that date.

In a devastating blow, the clock then reset again on Friday when Sam received a positive result.

Basically, if you test positive here, you have to stay in the facility for 14 days and then as a close contact you need to stay in here for 10 days after their 14 days, mum Casey told Sunrise.

So as each person in our family tests positive, we have to spend 24 days in here.

Casey said the lengthy stay in a hotel room was starting to wear the family-of-five down, admitting it was getting difficult to cope.

Her husband has moved to another room in the hopes he can leave at the same time as the first two daughters scheduled to be released.

If Maya and I test positive tomorrow, the 24 days resets again.

So were kind of hoping we test positive together and then we can be out of here in 14 days, Casey admitted.

The bizarre situation left Kochie and Nat shocked.

Oh my goodness, I cant believe it resets and then theres another 10 days, Barr said.

Thats ridiculous isnt it.

Kochie described the Williamsons situation as every familys worst nightmare.

So as each person in our family tests positive, we have to spend 24 days in here. - Casey Williamson

New Zealands Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) system has been in the spotlight in recent weeks.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is yet to ditch the scheme or move to home quarantine options despite COVID-19 circulating in the community and an adult vaccination rate over 90 per cent.

New Zealanders have been forced to enter a lottery system to score a coveted spot in one of the limited number of rooms, with thousands missing out each time the online draw is held.

The move makes New Zealand the only country in the world that still stops its citizens from returning to their home country.

Earlier this week, a pregnant journalist even had to ask the Taliban for help after the New Zealand government rejected her application to return home from Afghanistan.

Casey said while she was grateful her family got a spot in MIQ, she believes its time the cruel system was ditched.

MIQ served New Zealand well at the beginning, but I think the toll is just starting to get too high for everybody, she said.

There are thousands of Kiwis who have been stuck overseas now for years in far worse situations than us.

Its just starting to get cruel, we cant stay isolated forever, we need to learn to live with the virus.

The mum-of-three said she hopes her story creates awareness around the troubled MIQ system and will help others hoping to return home.

Prime Minister Ardern has indicated that she will make an announcement on the nations quarantine system this Thursday.

Read this article:

Sunrise hosts shocked by New Zealand COVID rules after family forced to spend month in quarantine | Sunrise - 7NEWS

Sport

1 Feb, 2022 01:00 AM3 minutes to read

The 2022 New Zealand Open at Millbrook golf resort has been cancelled. Photo / Photosport

One of New Zealand's preeminent international events has been given the red light.

The New Zealand Open, scheduled to be played on March 31 to April 3 at Millbrook Resort, has been cancelled.

Organisers have reluctantly come to that decision due to the continued border entry restrictions for international players, coupled with the prohibitive restrictions operating under the current red traffic light setting, which means it is no longer possible to hold the event in 2022.

Tournament chairman John Hart acknowledged that the challenges of putting on major events in New Zealand in the current environment had created barriers that cannot be overcome.

"We have done everything within our power to make this event happen," said Hart. "However, with the current Government restrictions in place, running an event that includes 250 players, 250 caddies, 500 volunteers, nearly 100 tournament staff and officials, plus numerous contractors, as well of course spectators, is just not possible.

"After announcing in December that the New Zealand Open would proceed, including having direct entry into the prestigious 150th Open Championship at St Andrews for the leading three players, we are devastated to have now come to this decision.

"We know how important this tournament is for the Queenstown Lakes region, tourism in New Zealand, and in particular for golf in New Zealand. We would like to thank our tournament partners and sponsors and in particular our underwriter Millbrook Resort for their unwavering support throughout the difficulties of the past few months.

"We remain fully committed to the tournament and the Queenstown region and we are now setting our sights on holding the 102nd New Zealand Open in 2023."

Golf New Zealand chief executive Dean Murphy noted the impact this decision will have on New Zealand professionals.

"This cancellation only adds to the extremely difficult past two years that many of the leading New Zealand professionals and leading elite amateur players have had," Murphy said. "Opportunities have been severely limited, and we will be doing all we can in the immediate term to see if we can add a small event for domestic players, within the current restrictions, during the week that was set aside for the New Zealand Open."

31 Jan, 2022 05:00 AMQuick Read

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The 102nd New Zealand Open will now be played from March 2 to 5, 2023, at Millbrook Resort and will include a full field of players from the PGA Tour of Australasia, the Asian Tour and the Japanese Tour.

Read the rest here:

Golf: New Zealand Open cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions - New Zealand Herald

The gap between second and third doses of the Covid-19 vaccine is being shorted from four months to three, the government has announced.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield made the announcement this afternoon.

Watch the government announcement here:

Ardern said Cabinet made the decision on the advice of the Vaccine Technical Advisory Group, and it would mean a million more New Zealanders would be eligible for their booster shot.

The shorter interval, which only applies to the Pfizer vaccine, would take effect on Friday, 4 February.

"It now means a total of 3,063,823 people aged 18 and over - two thirds of our population - will be eligible for their booster from this weekend. Over 1.3 million people have already got theirs," Hipkins said.

The change would mean more people, especially Mori, would be able to receive a booster before Omicron took hold, he said, urging anyone who was eligible to get their booster as soon as possible.

Ardern said an extra 100,000 Mori will be eligible for a booster, representing a 59 percent increase in Mori eligibility from Friday, while an additional 52,000 Pacific people will be eligible, representing a 47 percent increase.

Ardern said the reason for getting the booster was clear - Omicron was usually more mild, but it could be severe for some.

"So don't think getting a booster is just about keeping yourself safe, it's about ensuring our hospital and health system is not overwhelmed so those you love and everyone in our community who needs our hospitals can get the care they need."

Hipkins said New Zealand was one of the top-10 most vaccinated countries in the OECD, and the earlier booster would also help reduce the impacts of Omicron on workforces and supply chains.

"We have given ourselves a head start that we cannot afford to give up," he said.

People can check their eligibility on MyCovidRecord, by referring to their vaccine appointment card, or calling 0800 28 29 26 between 8am and 8pm seven days a week.

Ardern said today that 94 percent of New Zealanders over the age of 12 were fully vaccinated.

"A year ago, achieving that level of community immunity would have been considered incredibly ambitious, but the overwhelming majority of the team of five million have done what they've done best this entire pandemic, banded together and turned out to get vaccinated not just for themselves but to keep their loved ones and communities safe."

The high rates had helped stop a Delta outbreak and given New Zealand a head start against Omicron, but now the number boosted needed to get as high as possible, she said.

The government would create a big booster campaign during February, with details to be provided by the Ministry of Health next week, Ardern said.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield speaking about boosters this afternoon. Photo: RNZ

Dr Bloomfield acknowledged the work put in by vaccination teams across the country in achieving 94 percent vaccination. Mori vaccination rates were now up to 90 percent first dose and 85 percent second dose, he said.

Ardern said there had been a significant boost in funding for community organisations which was helping support the efforts to help vaccinate Mori around the country.

"What we've had to do is make sure that we've stood up a system that worked for Delta, now we need to make sure that we are able to expand to deal with what will be a larger number of cases but actually the majority of cases won't need the level of care that delta may have required. So that has been an ongoing programme of work with our Mori providers."

Dr Bloomfield said the impact of waning protection over time from the vaccine had been seen.

"The good news is that there is clear evidence with that booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine, that people's protection goes back up to a similar level to what it was for Delta with two doses, and that is well over 90 percent protection against hospitalisation or serious illness."

He urged everyone to make a plan, and said there was excellent capacity for vaccinations across the system.

"Whilst we can't administer boosters to everyone in that one million this Friday, I can assure you we have excellent capacity across our system and we certainly have a good supply of vaccine."

It was even more important for vulnerable people and those working in higher-risk settings to get the booster, and considerable work was under way to make boosters as available as possible to those people, Bloomfield said.

New Zealand data so far was similar to that overseas - we had not seen an increase in side effects, and overall adverse events after each additional vaccination had declined, he said.

He had asked for advice on when 12- to 17-year-olds would be able to get booster doses.

Ardern said the reason behind the delay until Friday was the government needed to make sure all the infrastructure was stood up.

New Zealand was still relatively early on in its Omicron outbreak compared to other countries, and there was still time for people to get their booster in the coming week and have the benefit of it before the variant spread widely, she said.

Dr Bloomfield said New Zealand was an early mover in reducing the booster interval from six months to four, and was moving to reduce the interval again to three months before the Omicron outbreak, which was something many other countries did not have the opportunity to do.

Ministry of Health Chief Science Advisor Ian Town said bringing it forward to three months, which had been done in the UK and in many Australian states, meant New Zealand could get the level of antibodies at a peak before it was facing widespread transmission.

There did not appear to be any downside to reducing the interval to three months, he said.

Dr Bloomfield said he wanted to emphasise that the evidence was clear that while two doses was great for Delta, that was not the case with Omicron, "so we will be pushing really hard to vaccinate".

There were 142 community cases of Covid-19 and 54 border cases reported in New Zealand today. There were 38,332 booster doses given yesterday.

This morning, Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson defended the government's approach to pregnant journalist Charlotte Bellis' emergency MIQ requests, and its acquisition of rapid antigen tests (RATs) ahead of an expected rapid increase in Omicron variant cases across New Zealand.

National has been calling for borders to reopen immediately, and frequent RAT testing in schools.

Cabinet yesterday discussed its plans for reopening the borders, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to make announcements about that tomorrow. A staged timeline was outlined late last year, but was quickly delayed because of the risks posed by Omicron.

The government this morning announced it would adding $70.7 million to its Events Support Scheme, and extending coverage to events scheduled for before 31 January next year that were planned before being cancelled by the red traffic light setting.

Go here to read the rest:

Vaccine booster interval shortened to three months - New Zealand government - RNZ