Hastings woman 'counting the days' after hearing husband will be home for Christmas

Monika Russell says she feels relieved and is now counting down the days as her husband Adrian's place in MIQ has been confirmed. Photo / Supplied

A Hastings woman is feeling "relieved" her husband who went to the United States for work will now be making it home by Christmas.

Monika Russell had feared Adrian would be stranded in the US as New Zealand Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) facilities were becoming booked up in the lead up to Christmas.

However, she has now learned that Adrian has received an allocation voucher and will be coming home on November 26, in time for the festive celebration.

Engineer Adrian Russell is one of three people from Hastings who flew to the United States in August with his company to help with essential work.

Monika said she believes Adrian's employer had been working hard to ensure their staff could return.

She is now "counting down the days" and looking forward to a family Christmas and New Year's holiday while Adrian takes a few weeks of leave.

There are 32 MIQ facilities in New Zealand and "very little" availability for the rest of the year, an MIQ spokesperson said.

The Managed Isolation Allocation System went live in the beginning of October and on October 21 the Ministry of Business, Innovation and employment (MBIE) said on its Twitter page "No voucher, no fly! From 3 November 2020 travellers to NZ must have an allocation voucher."

Places in the facilities are on a first come first served basis and the Managed Isolation Allocation System doesn't prioritise between different groups of people who have the legal right to enter New Zealand.

An awareness campaign beginning on September 25 resulted in people from 212 different countries Managed Isolation Allocation System website and 95 per cent of passengers arriving at airports since have had a voucher, the spokesperson said.