Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has set out a plan to start re-opening the borders, starting with a trial this year of home isolation or shorter MIQ stays for selected travellers
There are no new Covid-19 community cases today, but there is one case in managed isolation.
More than 2.39 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, meanwhile, have now been given out, says the Health Ministry.
Of these, 1.51 million are first doses and 882,756 are second doses.
The new Covidcase in managed isolation means there are now 44 active cases in New Zealand.
Last night the ministry took the rare step of addressing misinformation and rumours on its official Facebook page saying that Healthline - the 0800 phone number that connects people to registered nurses, for medical advice - was reporting people calling about lockdowns and community spread.
"None of the reported rumours are true. There are currently no community cases of Covid-19 or any imminent lockdowns," the ministry posted.
The reported rumours come after Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins announced that if the highly contagious and dangerous Delta variant of the virus arrived on our shores New Zealand would likely see a quicker move to a level 4 lockdown.
Hipkins said further lockdowns were possible and would come with little notice. As a result, people should have a plan in place for such a situation.
The Ministry of Health said today more than 132,000 Māori had received their first vaccination, and 82,000 of these had also had their second jab.
More than 89,000 doses have been given to Pacific people, 55,000 of whom had now had two shots.
Yesterday, a record 48,612 vaccine doses were administered, the ministry said.
That total included 32,150 first doses and 16,462 second doses.
After this week's scare involving the Rio De La Plata at the Port of Tauranga where 11 crew tested positive for Covid, two local pilots who boarded the ship were now isolating.
All Port of Tauranga workers who went aboard the Rio De La Plata container ship that was found to have crew with Covid 19 had now returned at least one negative test, the ministry said.
It said a total of 73 people went aboard the vessel between Wednesday August 4 and Saturday August 7.
"Additional testing has been required for a number of port workers," the ministry said.
"The last three test results reported yesterday as outstanding are now all returned and are negative."
For vaccinated travellers from low-risk countries, no isolation would be required. For vaccinated travellers from medium-risk countries, some isolation would be required – but it could be a shorter stay in MIQ or home isolation.
Coupled with the re-opening is a drive to get as many people vaccinated as possible by the end of the year.
A second foreign container ship with a Covid outbreak among crew, the Mattina, remains in quarantine in Bluff. Today, 13 of the original 21 mariners remained on board the vessel.
The Health Ministry said five crew members who returned negative test results, including the captain, had completed a fortnight in managed isolation. A sixth mariner, who had serological evidence of an historical infection, remained in managed isolation in Christchurch.
Of the 15 mariners who tested positive, three were considered by local public health officials to not yet meet the definition of having recovered.
