Lagatar24 Desk
In view of the pace of vaccination against the coronavirus, the New Zealand government is ready to allow home isolation for travelers coming from abroad. The Prime Minister of New Zealand has said that the government will soon start a pilot program of home isolation for foreign travelers. Currently, the citizens have to stay in hotels for two weeks on their return from abroad.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that this pilot program would allow the citizens to self-isolate at home. It will also include 150 business travelers who will arrive in the country between October 30 to December 8. Under the programme, the returnees will be monitored and tested. Regarding the ongoing vaccination campaign in the country, he said that 43 % of the population of 12 years and above in New Zealand have been fully vaccinated.
Ardern said that Auckland, the country’s most populous city, has been closed since August 17 after the Delta version leaked from a hotel. 82% of the eligible population has been given at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine. New Zealand has adopted an unusual zero-tolerance approach to the coronavirus and is trying to eliminate the delta variant completely.
At the same time, the Prime Minister of Australia has expressed hope that the country will open its international border before the end of the year. The Australian government has agreed to ease tough restrictions on foreign travel after 80% of the country’s population aged 16 and older were vaccinated. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said this move would allow Australians to move out from the country and the permanent residents to return back.
