New Zealand opens its borders to vaccinated tourists from about 60 countries

Sydney (Australia), May 2 (EFE) .- New Zealand, which has used one of the world’s toughest policies to combat the Kovit-19 epidemic, opened its borders on Monday to tourists who have been vaccinated against Kovit-19 and from other countries. With visa exemption such as USA, Spain or United Kingdom.

After more than two years of closing borders to welcome the hundreds of passengers who boarded a flight from Los Angeles at 5:30 pm local time, between songs and strong emotions, he reads a large sign at the Auckland Airport saying “Kia prays” in Maori. This is a group of tourists.

“It was fantastic. You really see in the movies those moving moments when people reunite with family and friends after two years,” Auckland Airport CEO Gary Hurihanganuy described in an interview with Radio New Zealand today.

Hurihanganui pointed out that the arrival and departure of 43 flights to Auckland this Monday is expected with about 9,000 passengers from dozens of countries.

Upon arrival, passengers will be able to travel freely across the country without being isolated, although according to the policy established by the authorities, on the first and fifth days, two rapid tests should be carried out to detect Covit-19.

In the event of a positive result, victims must be isolated for seven days and have to bear their own cost of shelter and maintenance.

Foreigners who have not been vaccinated will not be able to enter the seas unless they receive the exemption or refugee status granted in rare cases.

New Zealand maintains a progressive reopening plan, which began in February and is expected to end in October.

The strict border policy came to impose a very low daily entry quota, which caused problems even for its own countrymen, representing almost 6 per cent of the population before the epidemic, especially to the tourism sector. Percentage of GDP.

The sea country, which was praised by the government for its early administration of Covit-19, recorded 6,726 infections this Monday, for which it has amassed 943,428 cases since the outbreak, of which 53,839 are still active and 713 deaths.

New Zealand, which recorded less than 100 daily Covit-19 cases in January, vaccinated 96 percent of its population in two doses, which was the scene of an anti-vaccination campaign in front of the Wellington Parliament from February to early March. This is consistent with an increase in infections. EFE

VAT / NC / ICS

© EFE 2022. Redistribution and rebroadcasting of all or part of the contents of Efe’s Services is strictly prohibited without the prior and express permission of Agencia EFE SA.