NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Covid 19 Omicron: Borders to fully reopen to Kiwis this week, spelling beginning of end to MIQ

Michael  Neilson
By Michael Neilson
Senior political reporter, NZ Herald·NZ Herald·
28 Feb, 2022 04:00 PM7 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Fully vaccinated New Zealanders arrive home and Ukraine War continues in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald

After two years of closely-guarded borders marked by heartbreak and sacrifice, Kiwis will soon, once again, be able to freely return home from all over the world.

From midnight Wednesday, Kiwis returning from Australia will no longer need to self-isolate, and from Friday those from all countries will be free to do the same.

That also spells the beginning of the end to the controversial MIQ system, bringing the previous closure forward from March 13, although MIQ will still be used for unvaxxed travellers.

The sweeping changes to border policy also restore the ability of Kiwis at home to freely travel abroad, and be able to return home without needing to secure an expensive slot in the MIQ lottery - one of the first signs of a return to some sense of normality on the international front.

However in stark contrast domestically, New Zealand recorded another nearly 15,000 cases of Omicron in the community on Monday, with 344 people in hospital.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It comes amid revelations of beefed up security at Parliament to prevent the potential risk of the building being stormed by a mob of anti-mandate protesters.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo / Alex Burton
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo / Alex Burton

And a group representing the three-week occupation is warning of mass non-compliance with Covid-19 restrictions from today unless its demands that the Government lifts all vaccine mandates is met this morning.

"In short, from 10am ... we want all Kiwis to now behave like all Covid-19 Public Health Response Act orders and notices have been revoked," read a statement on the Freedom and Rights Coalition website.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The group is encouraging all employees who have lost their jobs due to vaccination orders to "make plans and prepare to return to work this week".

The seven-day average for border cases of Covid-19 at the weekend was 9.4, compared with a seven-day average of around 6700 for cases in the community.

Key Government adviser Professor David Skegg said consequently the "pattern of risk", once entirely at the border, had now changed "dramatically".

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who announced the changes on the first day Kiwis could return from Australia without MIQ, said the Government had moved quickly as this gulf became increasingly apparent.

Discover more

New Zealand

Trials on hold after Omicron hits court staff following party

28 Feb 06:10 AM
New Zealand

Live: Protesters slash police tyres in act of 'retaliation'- PM urges Kiwis to stay away from 'Covid camp'

28 Feb 09:40 PM
Travel

No more isolation for travellers from Thursday, what you need to know

28 Feb 04:15 AM
New Zealand

Removal of self-isolation for vaxxed travellers 'sensible' - experts

28 Feb 07:07 AM

They had always said when incoming cases had less material impact they would bring forward border reopening dates and remove self-isolation, she said, and had sought and acted on expert advice within a week.

The move has been welcomed by National and Act, who had been ramping up their calls in recent days to end MIQ as Omicron let rip in the community, increasingly questioning the validity of a closed-border approach to keep the virus out.

The Green Party said the border changes would be a "relief" for many, but underscored the need to step-up protections for the most at-risk communities, including making high-quality N95 universally available.

Arrivals will need to produce a negative pre-departure test and then do a RAT test on arrival in New Zealand and then again on day 5/6.

Any positive cases will then have to carry out normal isolation requirements and also follow up with a PCR test to allow genome sequencing. Skegg said this was important to detect any new strains entering the country.

Ardern also announced other non-New Zealanders who were part of Step 2, such as working holiday visa holders and RSE workers, will still be eligible to arrive from March 13, but will not have to isolate on arrival.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Friends and family enjoyed emotional reunions at Auckland Airport yesterday. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Friends and family enjoyed emotional reunions at Auckland Airport yesterday. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Cabinet will shortly consider bringing forward previously signalled dates for remaining groups, including other visa holders from April - such as migrant families living in New Zealand, Australians and visitors from visa waiver countries by July, and all others from October.

"The advice from our experts is that getting over the peak of Omicron should be factored into this timing," Ardern said.

They were looking at a peak of mid to late March.

Ardern said modelling showed up to 450 cases a day could come into the country once Step 2 was implemented, but this would increase due to removing the isolation requirements.

MIQ would be retained for unvaccinated travellers, and as an option for future variants if they proved more virulent.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa's Ann-Marie Johnson said removing self-isolation was a "big step forward" but tourism businesses needed more certainty on international visitors.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The industry's recovery will not begin until high value holidaymakers can enter New Zealand.

"The sooner we can signal intentions and timelines for reopening both air and maritime borders, the sooner tourism operators can get back to doing what they do best."

University of Otago epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker said the move was sensible.

"The infection rates are falling for people travelling into the country. They're rising markedly within New Zealand, and at a certain point, people will have a higher risk of being infected within New Zealand than they were in that population arriving here," Baker said.

"That's related to the fact that Omicron rates are falling in many of those source countries now. We couldn't have done this a few weeks ago because infection was so common in people arriving here."

University of Auckland Associate Professor Collin Tukuitonga said he was concerned how the self-isolation changes, alongside increasing case numbers, would impact vulnerable groups.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The idea of isolation and quarantine is you take out of circulation those people who present the risk of spreading the virus. When you relax those isolation requirements, essentially, you're allowing everyone to mix and mingle - and the most vulnerable people are yet again going to suffer the consequences."

Tukuitonga said being "boosted" should be included in the term "fully vaccinated" - something Skegg said they were considering advice for the Government about.

This comes as raw Ministry of Health data shows those who are boosted are about four times less likely to need hospital care than those who are unvaccinated.

"In my mind, fully vaxxed from Omicron must include the booster. Until you have the booster, you're not fully vaxxed," Tukuitonga said.

University of Canterbury Professor Michael Plank said removing the self-isolation requirement for vaccinated travellers was appropriate as the outbreak had changed rapidly in recent weeks.

"Even two weeks ago, it would have been potentially a risky move to let large numbers of cases come in because that could've really accelerated the outbreak," Plank said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Now we are at a stage where we are seeing much larger number of cases and having a few hundred cases at the border does have less of an impact relatively. I wouldn't expect it to have a significant effect on the peak of the Omicron wave."

Meanwhile, the protest outside Parliament, largely focused on ending vaccine mandates and passes, has entered its fourth week.

Parliament had taken extra security measures as a result, and while Parliament had continued to operate safely Ardern said she acknowledged some people had been abused for things like not wearing masks.

The protest was now part of the outbreak - at least 17 cases now and some in hospital - and Ardern said it was "Covid camp" and advised nobody go near it.

- additional reporting by Julia Gabel

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

live
New Zealand

Fresh flood threat as thunderstorms, gales lash north; south braces for another deluge

10 Jul 07:30 PM
Premium
New ZealandUpdated

'A sad loss': Why this prostate cancer treatment is 'disappearing' in NZ

10 Jul 07:28 PM
New ZealandUpdated

'Give Paea a chance': Wife's tearful plea for Tongan overstayer

10 Jul 07:28 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

AI-driven exam breaches surge as schools grapple with cheating, top principal’s warning

AI-driven exam breaches surge as schools grapple with cheating, top principal’s warning

10 Jul 07:46 PM

Busted: 10 students took too long in the toilet, 88 had phones, 59 used AI.

Fresh flood threat as thunderstorms, gales lash north; south braces for another deluge
live

Fresh flood threat as thunderstorms, gales lash north; south braces for another deluge

10 Jul 07:30 PM
Premium
'A sad loss': Why this prostate cancer treatment is 'disappearing' in NZ

'A sad loss': Why this prostate cancer treatment is 'disappearing' in NZ

10 Jul 07:28 PM
'Give Paea a chance': Wife's tearful plea for Tongan overstayer

'Give Paea a chance': Wife's tearful plea for Tongan overstayer

10 Jul 07:28 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP