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National | Covid-19 Testing

PM pauses travel bubble as Aussie COVID cases soar

Quarantine-free travel from all Australian states and territories to New Zealand is being suspended as the coronavirus pandemic there worsens, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today.

From 11.59pm tonight Australians will no longer be able to enter New Zealand quarantine-free. This will last for at least the next eight weeks.

For the next seven days there will be managed return flights for New Zealanders from all states and territories and that will require proof of a negative pre-departure test. Additionally, those who have been in New South Wales will still have to go into managed isolation for 14 days. And those who have been in Victoria must self-isolate upon return and have a negative Day 3 test.

The government says it is working closely with airlines to ensure there are flights available over this period, and will extend it for a few days if necessary.

Growing numbers of cases

The decision to suspend travel follows updated public health advice from officials on the growing number of cases and locations of interest across Australia in recent days and weeks.

“There are now multiple outbreaks, and in differing stages of containment, that have forced three states into lockdown. The health risk to New Zealanders from these cases is increasing,” Jacinda Ardern said.

“We’ve always said that our response would evolve as the virus evolved. This is not a decision we have taken lightly but it is the right decision to keep New Zealanders safe.

“Now is the time for a suspension to ensure New Zealanders aren’t put at undue risk from Covid-19 and to ensure we retain our hard-won gains. Our team of five million has worked hard to put us in a strong position both health-wise and economically. We will not risk that,” Jacinda Ardern said.

Consistently cautious

Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the government acknowledges the frustration and inconvenience that comes with any interruption to trans-tasman travel.

“Given the high level of transmissibility of the Delta variant, and the fact that there are now multiple community clusters, it is the right thing to do to keep Covid-19 out of New Zealand,” Chris Hipkins said.

“The worsening situation in New South Wales, seepage across state borders and our consistently cautious approach to prevent Covid 19 from entering the New Zealand community, we are confident this is the right action to take,” he said.

The government says the suspension will give Australia time to manage its outbreaks while giving New Zealand health officials time to monitor the situation, assess travel developments in other countries and consider different QFT settings while ensuring New Zealanders are safe.

“We do want the bubble to resume. We remain committed to it, and when I spoke to Australian PM Scott Morrison this morning I conveyed this view directly. But it must be safe,” Jacinda Ardern said.