Traffic light system scrapped: What it means for travel

The scrapping of the traffic light system means journey will largely return to its pre-pandemic regular from 11:59pm Monday evening.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern introduced Monday afternoon that it had determined to retire the system relatively than tweak the settings or transfer the nation to inexperienced. Right here’s how journey might be affected.

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Worldwide journey

New Zealand will reopen to unvaccinated guests.

Below the orange setting of the visitors gentle system, New Zealand residents and residents and Australian residents who lived in New Zealand have been the one ones allowed to enter the nation with out proof they’d been absolutely vaccinated towards Covid-19, except they’d an exemption.

From 11:59pm Monday, nobody coming into New Zealand should present proof of vaccination, together with air crew.

Arrival checks scrapped

Arrivals are additionally now not required to take fast antigen checks (RATs) on day zero/one and day 5/six of their time in Aotearoa. Nevertheless, the Authorities nonetheless encourages them to take action.

Those that check constructive for Covid-19 as soon as in New Zealand will nonetheless be required to self-isolate for seven days, however their family contacts won’t.

“Their family contacts will solely be requested to undertake a day by day RAT check earlier than going about their life as regular,” Ardern stated.

The Authorities will proceed to supply follow-up PCR checks and genome sequencing of constructive instances to travellers, which is taken into account an vital a part of monitoring for brand new variants.

“We’ll additionally use focused surveillance on the border to examine on new variants,” Ardern stated.

All travellers to New Zealand will nonetheless be required to fill within the New Zealand Traveller Declaration form

earlier than boarding a flight to Aotearoa.

Masks

Masks will now not be required wherever apart from in healthcare settings and aged care services.

This implies you’ll now not must put on a masks on home flights, public transport, Cook dinner Strait ferries, Kiwirail providers and in taxis and ride-share providers. You can too go maskless at airports and transport terminals.

Nevertheless, masks are nonetheless “inspired” in confined settings corresponding to public transport and when visiting individuals notably susceptible to Covid-19.

Ardern referred to as upon Kiwis to “respect those that select to maintain carrying masks as a type of safety”.

The Prime Minister famous that this summer season might be our first in three years with out Covid-related restrictions.

“This would be the first summer season in three years the place there gained’t be the query of ‘what if?’,” she stated. “The place occasions will not be cancelled due to Covid instances. The place our borders are absolutely reopened and there isn’t the worry of being separated or stranded. The primary summer season the place now we have our certainty. And which means, I hope, the Covid anxiousness can begin to heal.”