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National | Managed Isolation

Managed isolation hotel stays cut in half

It's good news for returning New Zealanders!

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins revealed in today's 1pm presser that managed isolation hotel stays will be reduced to seven days from 14  from next month.

Tests will continue during their stay as per usual.

This will be followed by home isolation for three days. Rapid antigen and PCR tests will be used throughout their home isolation period and they will wait at home until they receive their result.

"This evolution will free up about 1500 rooms a month in MIQ," Hipkins said.

"Many of those will be used for community cases but some will be re-released using the MIQ voucher system."

The new arrangements will apply to all returning New Zealanders from November 14.

Non-New Zealand travellers will be required to be fully vaccinated to enter the country from November 1.

One-way travel

Low-risk country travellers, such as Pacific Island countries like Samoa and Tonga, will be allowed one-way quarantine-free travel into New Zealand, beginning on November 8.

"Travellers will need to be fully vaccinated unless they are New Zealand citizens.

"RSE workers who are currently able to enter New Zealand with at least one dose of the vaccine will need to be fully vaccinated from January 1."