New Zealand suspends almost all CoV measures overnight. Visitors traveling to the Pacific country will no longer need to be vaccinated against the virus.
The previous rule for travelers to test themselves for the virus immediately upon arrival and on the fifth day of their stay only applies on a voluntary basis. Also, the mask requirement is no longer applicable everywhere except hospitals and nursing homes.
“It’s time to turn the page on our management of Covid-19 and live without the extraordinary measures we’ve taken before,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today. Ardern spoke of a “milestone” in the country’s virus management. “Instead of feeling like Covid is dictating what is happening to us, our lives and our future, we are taking control again.”
The country closed its borders in March 2020 and initially followed a strict zero-CoV strategy. The country only fully reopened in July.