Covid 19 coronavirus: Thousands heeded call to 'get home now' as pandemic gathered pace

Repatriation flights helped 6292 people return to New Zealand, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade figures show. Photo /James Coleman, Unsplash

By RNZ

It's been just over a year since the Government advised all New Zealanders travelling overseas to return home because of Covid-19.

More than 6000 people were subsequently repatriated from 38 countries on 120 flights.

On March 18 last year, the then-Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, urged anyone travelling overseas to get home if they could - before borders closed and air routes dried up.

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"If you're travelling it's likely you're going to be cut off shortly, so if you can get home - get home now,'' he said at the time.

The Government's evacuation programme ran until November.

Figures provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade show those flights helped 6292 people return to New Zealand.

Nearly 15,000 New Zealanders are still registered on the SafeTravel website as being overseas.

- RNZ