World
New Zealand to keep its borders closed for the rest of the year
Auckland: New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced that the country’s borders are to remain close at least until the end of the year.
According to reports, the PM said an elimination strategy is an effective way to prevent Covid-19 infections and to keep the economy open.
The main objective, she emphasized, was getting the whole population completely vaccinated by next year.
Addressing a forum about reconnecting the country to the world the prime minister said "We're simply not in a position to a fully reopen just yet’’.
"When we move we will be careful and deliberate, because we want to move with confidence and with as much certainty as possible,’’ she continued.
She further added that once the country resumes travelling next year, vaccinated tourists will be allowed to travel low-risk countries without quarantining, on the other hand, tourists from high-risk countries will be required to quarantine for at least 14 days.
New Zealand is among the most successful countries in the world that contained COVID-19 outbreaks, and Ms. Arden has been given due credit for that.
The country has kept its infection rates low by taking preventive measures such as strict border controls and snap lockdowns.