New Zealand Border

[casofilia]

Today's New Zealand Herald has the following headline, pages 2 & 3:-

 

NZ locks world out for the year,

 

Then the first two paragraphs of the article includes:-

 

New Zealand's borders are likely to remain closed to most of the world for the rest of the year, as reopening them poses "too great a risk to our health and economy", Prime Minister Jacinda Adearn says.

Instead the Government will continue to pursue travel bubbles with Australia and the Pacific ........

 

It continues in a similar vein doubting that those bubbles will occur in the near future.

 

I cannot see New Zealand welcoming any cruise ships for the rest of this year!!

 

 

Discussions on the radio and television imply that we will not receive vaccine till late February at the earliest, that inoculations will not start till late March and that inoculations for the general public will not start till the end of the second quarter and not be finished till the end of the year.

 

[Waquoit]

On 1/26/2021 at 8:59 PM, IrieBajan54 said:

However, I don't relish having a test swab push down my nostril. Just thinking about it gives me the creeps. So will wait until confirmation of vaccination is the only requirement to enter.

The swab doesn't get pushed down your nostril, it just gets swirled around a little bit. And you do it yourself. Where do you get your information?

[DCGuy64]

Thanks for the updates over the past few months, @casofilia. Guess I can cross off the Antipodeans from my list of people and places I was hoping to visit during my lifetime. *sigh*

[casofilia]

@Waquoit

 

And you do it yourself. 

 

Not in New Zealand, medical technician.

[casofilia]

@DCGuy64

 

Only if you expect to die before 2023!!!!   I'm sure our borders will be open by then.

 

I HOPE!!  Fingers, eyes and toes crossed.

[DCGuy64]

8 minutes ago, casofilia said:

@DCGuy64

 

Only if you expect to die before 2023!!!!   I'm sure our borders will be open by then.

 

I HOPE!!  Fingers, eyes and toes crossed.

I hope(d), but that was last year. Everything we were told turned out to be untrue (I won't say it was a lie, but it just turned out to be wrong). "Until there's a vaccine," "just wear a mask," "keep socially distant," "just hang on a little longer." Sorry, but I'm not buying it. You say you're SURE the borders will be open by 2023. There's no way to know that. For all we know, there'll be yet another strain of COVID-19 or another pandemic by then. Might as well face the facts. Good luck to you but I'm not hopeful. At all.

[casofilia]

Those of you following NZ, Auckland has gone into Level 3 for 3 days and the rest of the country to Level 2.   There are 3 new community cases unconnected with any previous cases, so far.

[Sailing12Away]

On 1/28/2021 at 11:00 AM, Waquoit said:

The swab doesn't get pushed down your nostril, it just gets swirled around a little bit. And you do it yourself. Where do you get your information?

Depends on the testing kit and instrumentation. The nasal swab (more pleasant variety) is not as sensitive and tends to not be as accurate. The nasopharyngeal (the brain poking one) tends to do a better job of detecting new and early cases as it is a better sample source. A lab test is only as good as the quality of the sample you're testing it with. Garbage in, garbage out. (Medical Laboratory Scientist with >20 yrs experience, so this is kinda my bag)

[PTC DAWG]

NZ should remain closed forever, for everything...they’ll be just fine.  Nothing in, nor out.  See how they like that. 

[pamesacruisin]

I'm glad to have found this forum.  I have lots of family in New Zealand and thankfully we were able to see them all back in January 2020, not too long before the shutdown.  We are so anxious to get back to New Zealand.  Thank you for your posts casofilia and please keep us updated.

[SeaHunt]

@casofila Did you hear anymore about the possible source? I thought it was interesting to read that they were investigating this - something I hadn't considered before:

 

"A mother, father and daughter living in South Auckland tested positive and were transferred to a quarantine facility, officials said. A fourth family member was experiencing symptoms but had tested negative for the virus.

 

The mother works at LSG Sky Chefs, officials said, handling laundry from international flights.

"As we continue to explore all possible sources of transmission for these cases, we will take a particularly close interest in this workplace because of its obvious connections to the border," said Dr. Ashley Bloomfield, one of the country's top health officials.

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/02/14/967868371/new-zealand-city-goes-back-into-lockdown-after-new-coronavirus-cases-detected

[casofilia]

@SeaHunt

 

Still no further news of the actual source.   No connection with any previous infection so far.   One of the latest thoughts was that it arrived with someone who was only "In Transit" through Auckland Airport.   The latest idea might be foreign aircrew (radio news a few minutes ago).

 

For those who didn't look at the link; Auckland is in Level 3 for 3 days and the rest of NZ is in Level 2 for the same period.

 

Unless they find the source, just announced the English Strain, I can see the levels continuing beyond the 3 days.

 

They are looking for a genome match.

[onlyslightlymad]

10 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

NZ should remain closed forever, for everything...they’ll be just fine.  Nothing in, nor out.  See how they like that. 

I don't think that's particularly realistic..  Instead the policy is to get the population vaccinated and then look at a staggered border reopening around the middle of 2022.

[casofilia]

An update as far as I can tell from the latest discussions from the NZ government as reported in the press here.

 

It appears that New Zealand is only looking to have available "within the next year" Covid Passports.  If they are not going to be available for us till then I hope that NZ does not accept Covid Passports from other countries before we are able to get them!!!!!!!!!!   See the quote below.

 

It also happened to be the day that the topic of vaccine passports came up, with Covid-19 Response Minister, Chris Hipkins saying today something may be developed "within the next year".

 

However Air New Zealand is thinking of trialing a "Global Digital Travel Pass"; however there does not seem, at present, to be any communication between AirNZ and the Government.

[casofilia]

We are possibly a little closer to getting our border open, well for us.   The information yesterday was that we; aged 77 and 76; should be able to get our vaccinations starting in May (High Risk & over 65s).  After July the rest of the population.

 

Also yesterday the following was released:-

 

Travel and the border

At this stage, it isn’t clear how the availability of vaccines here and around the world will influence changes to New Zealand's border controls.

We know the vaccines protect individuals from the effects of the virus. However, it's too early for researchers to confirm whether a vaccinated person could still transmit COVID-19 to someone else.

Until we know for sure, we need to keep our current border settings.

   

[casofilia]

Movement?   The latest decision from the government following a push by the Australian government is to look at the possible bubble with Australia.   The hope is that it could occur in about a month.

 

That might mean no managed isolation in either direction for Australian and New Zealand nationals only.   But it would be a start for us.

 

Mike

[Von & John]

Very Exciting...
Wish the Kiwis & the Aussies all the best w/ this...

[finchy1950]

On 9/20/2020 at 1:56 AM, Viajera7 said:

Thanks for the update because I was going to book an Australia/ New Zealand cruise for the end of 2021. I hope everything goes well there and the rest of the world.

I've got a cruise booked with Celebrity in December 2021 and have my fingers crossed. As a back up I have a B2B with NCL booked in January 2022 - fingers are still crossed!!

[casofilia]

The latest from our government.   They have made changes so that "important people" are going to be given the vaccination first and then be allowed to travel.   The cynic in me says it is only done to allow the Olympic Games people and the cricketers to go to sports venues!!!!

 

BUT and it is a  BIG BUT they have to go into managed isolation on their return ( and the Olympians HAVE to return as soon as they have completed their event(s).

 

Who knows how long that state of affairs will last.   I think that most of us anticipated that when we had had the vaccination and could travel we wouldn't have to go into Managed Isolation which we have to pay for.

 

At this point those of who who have had vaccinations do not expect you will be able to come to New Zealand easily!!!

[onlyslightlymad]

6 hours ago, casofilia said:

The latest from our government.   They have made changes so that "important people" are going to be given the vaccination first and then be allowed to travel.   The cynic in me says it is only done to allow the Olympic Games people and the cricketers to go to sports venues!!!!

 

BUT and it is a  BIG BUT they have to go into managed isolation on their return ( and the Olympians HAVE to return as soon as they have completed their event(s).

 

Who knows how long that state of affairs will last.   I think that most of us anticipated that when we had had the vaccination and could travel we wouldn't have to go into Managed Isolation which we have to pay for.

 

At this point those of who who have had vaccinations do not expect you will be able to come to New Zealand easily!!!

I must admit I did assume managed isolation still.  I suspect we will have different policies for different countries, something similar to the UK idea of red, yellow and green.  Aus will be green.  I can't see us opening to anyone else this year though.

[casofilia]

I have been trying to get, from the Covid Minister, information regarding Cruise ships,   No response so far!!!

[casofilia]

Funny that I have just received a "response" from the minister about an earlier request for information.   It tells me nothing that I didn't already know.

[casofilia]

The latest news.

 

The NZ Government has decided that there will be a non-quarantine bubble between Australia and New Zealand starting on 19th April.

[mrlevin]

10 hours ago, casofilia said:

The latest news.

 

The NZ Government has decided that there will be a non-quarantine bubble between Australia and New Zealand starting on 19th April.

Will this bubble include the Cook Islands?  Cruise travel between Australia and New Zealand?

 

thanks for your continued research,

 

Marc

[casofilia]

@mrlevin

 

Hello Marc

 

Will this bubble include the Cook Islands?    Not at the moment, latest talk is that it is likely in May.

 

Cruise travel between Australia and New Zealand?    Nothing on cruising.  I have quite a long email in with the Covid Minister asking awkward questions.   Will report back if I hear anything.

 

Mike