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

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.

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