Corona-News: Lauterbach: “No alarm” because of the Corona summer wave

From next week, travelers traveling to New Zealand will no longer have to present a negative corona test upon entry. The rule will no longer apply from June 20, a month earlier than planned, the government announced on Thursday. “We have taken a careful and phased approach in reopening our borders,” said Minister in charge of the fight against Covid-19, Ayesha Verrall. “Our strategy has worked and therefore it is safe to lift the pre-departure testing requirements much earlier than planned.”

But visitors have to continue to conduct a self-assessment upon arrival and another on the fifth day of stay. Since the beginning of May, visitors from 60 visa-waiver countries have been allowed to enter the Pacific state, including Germany, Austria and Switzerland. On July 31, New Zealand will reopen its borders to travelers from all over the world for the first time – two months earlier than originally planned.

The country with its five million inhabitants has long been considered a model state in the fight against the virus. The island state had largely isolated itself from the outside world in March 2020 and at times pursued a so-called zero-Covid strategy. However, the country has now recorded more than 1.2 million cases due to the highly contagious omicron variant.


source site-18