The Premium Debate: Subscriber views on the MIQ squeeze

Rotorua has three managed isolation facilities, including the Sudima. Photo / NZME

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A hotel broker wants nearly 20,000 extra hotel rooms to boost the existing 6500 managed isolation rooms and a Government official says Rotorua and Christchurch properties are being investigated to potentially add to the stock.

Fix the problem easily and cheaply by allowing anyone who is double vaccinated and has their own home to self-isolate at home. If necessary employ ankle bracelets to monitor people's movement like Singapore does. If they don't want to wear one they can opt for the MIQ, but 90 per cent would. We are currently stuck in MIQ at the Grand Mercure and would happily isolate at home with ankle bracelets and supermarket deliveries.
- Steve S

Reduce, don't increase the number of rooms available and thus reduce the risk of Covid breaching our border. At least until we reach 90+ per cent vaccination. Then open the borders and remove the need for MIQ.
-John G

Sounds like a good idea until you think about it. Who pays? How much? And critically where do the staff come from? I can imagine the private providers would charge a premium and siphon off health providers from an already stressed system. And as soon as there is a leak or an absconder government would be expected to clean up the mess.
- Christine W

MIQ should now be home isolation for the double vaccinated. We need to be ahead not always behind in our thought processes and reactions. The time to build a facility has long passed. My daughter was 24,874 in the joke that is the current new system, apart from the fact it's coming close to being a breach of human right not allowing citizens home, it is also cruel. In years to come as a society NZ citizens and Govt will be judged harshly for this barbaric and antiquated policy.
-Mark C

It is interesting that from everything I have seen on social media, everyone who has said the new lobby system is a joke also has two computers open trying to get a space, thereby doubling the numbers in the queue. I wonder what the numbers trying to book will look like after a couple of rounds of the lobby system.
-Renee M

By the end of October, everyone that wants to be fully vaccinated will be. So then why would we have any restrictions? Once you are vaccinated it's not a chronically deadly disease anymore. If you choose not to be vaccinated then that's your choice - but suffer the consequences and don't expect priority for hospital beds ahead of cancer patients etc. Why is this so hard?
- Grant H

Why are we relying on hotels for MIQ? Why did the government not use some of the Covid fund to build purpose-built facilities?
-Mark X

It depends on how good their ventilation systems are now it's mostly an airborne virus. Building purpose built MIQ facilities is the answer with access to fresh air like the Australian model so people are not sharing the air and not getting mental illness. If we ever get out of this Covid pandemic, that could then become emergency housing.
-Linda B

The whole MIQ thing idea is specious. The government fails to consider seriously a system of home isolation and quarantine for double vaccinated returnees. This is used throughout the world, especially in countries that have low infection rates.
-Vincent C

How about if you've used the MIQ once then you don't qualify to book again until all the others that haven't yet used it have a chance? And to solve the problem of those that haven't paid - of which there are many - charge those coming in for a visit (not moving home) upfront before they are allowed to make a booking? Unfair, you might say. Well, how fair is it that some people have used MIQ multiple times while others can't get a spot and others who have come for a visit, knowing they needed to pay, but then not paid?
-Steve W

The limitation is your workforce. Specifically Nurses, NZDF, NZPOL, security staff. Hotel capacity has never been an issue. Increasing capacity by 300 per cent as suggested is simply not possible without having significant negative impacts on the service providers supplying the required staff. Should not be done. In fact, MIQ should reduced and a home isolation solution be introduced ASAP.
-David S

I still can't believe people are asking this question. I thought it was quite obvious as they have said time and again that we don't have the manpower to open any more hotels. It was only a couple of months ago nurses were protesting for more staff to help them in our public hospitals. There's so much more to it than opening up hotels. Who covers the expense of all the extra staff and training? I'm just surprised that after all this time people don't have a Plan B or what do I do if I can't get home when I want to plan.
-Mel J

- Republished comments may be edited at the editor's discretion.