Self-isolation model still on the cards, but no exact dates for border reopening given

Wednesday, 19 January 2022

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has announced the country is moving to phase 3 of the country’s Omicron response.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says a self-isolation model is still on the cards for returnees but has not provided a date for when that will happen.

Hipkins spoke to the media on Wednesday following the Government’s decision to postpone managed isolation rooms for March and April.

The January 20 allocation of MIQ rooms was postponed on Tuesday night, and further rooms won't be released until a decision has been made on the border reopening.

A spokesperson for Grounded Kiwis said shutting borders is a “blunt instrument”, while opposition MPs called it a “futile” approach, delivered initially through an online media release.

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The Grand Mercure Hotel, Wellington’s only managed isolation and quarantine hotel.

Hipkins said there was “no question” the Government was moving to a self-isolation model, but could not provide a timeframe, saying officials had to consider how Omicron could change border arrangements.

“We have to recognise MIQ is very full… we’ve got a system that has generally operated with two or three positive cases at the border which is now operating at between 40 and 50 positive cases a day.”

The focus will be on getting booster rates up and immunising as many 5 to 11 year-olds as possible before the Omicron strain takes hold in the community, Hipkins said.

Quality Hotel Elms in Christchurch is opening as a managed isolation facility. Journalist Steven Walton was taken on a tour of the facility and shown how it operates.

MIQ would continue for some time, Hipkins said, likely for unvaccinated people.

The Government said in November fully vaccinated New Zealand citizens and residents from Australia could return without MIQ from January 17, and those citizens and residents from all other countries from February 14.

It was decided April 30 would be the date to reopen borders to vaccinated foreign nationals. Hipkins said those timelines had changed since December. He said he could not provide certainty on the border reopening yet, as discussions were ongoing.

The MIQ pause extended until a decision on border reopening had been made, likely within the next couple of weeks, and based on the most up-to-date advice.

But a spokesman for Grounded Kiwis, a group of New Zealanders stuck abroad, said shutting borders was a “blunt instrument” to deal with the pandemic – an initial response which was no longer sustainable.

“We shouldn’t be using the same response two years ago, to manage this virus, it’s a temporary measure at best and a blunt instrument, it’s time there was a much more nuanced approach,” Martin Newell of Grounded Kiwis said.

ACT leader David Seymour said it was “futile” to delay New Zealanders, and Omicron, from getting into the community.

He said many understood measures needed to be taken to deal with Omicron, but New Zealanders were dealing with a “disappointing” and “devastating” decision, which had no end in sight.

“They’ve had effectively a closing of the New Zealand border.”

Newell said if the motivation was to curb the risk of Omicron, it was “bizarre” the Government had paused the room release for March and April, but were allowing returnees for the next six weeks.

Grounded Kiwis currently has legal action underway with the Government, over the design and operation of its MIQ system. That hearing has been delayed for procedural matters until and will now be heard by the High Court on 14 and 15 February 2022.

ACT Party leader David Seymour said it was “futile” to stop New Zealanders, and Omicron, from entering the country.

'It's going to be out, and I'll take a bet with you, it'll be out by the end of February. We'll have to be so lucky for that not to happen.'

The Crowne Plaza MIQ hotel in Christchurch.

He did not think the benefit of delaying Omicron in the short-term outweighed the costs of people being stuck overseas and industries dependent on open borders.

Seymour called for self-isolation for people entering the country and criticised the move to delaying this for those returning from Australia.

Leading epidemiologists, such as Michael Baker, have recommended tightening border restrictions in the face of Omicron.

In a statement, Covid-19 Response Spokesperson Chris Bishop called for clarity on border reopening plans – saying the sooner that MIQ could end, the better.

He criticised the Government’s handling of the decision.

“The Government has basically closed the border without so much as a Ministerial press release.

“Instead, a million Kiwis found out there would be no more MIQ room releases through a message posted on the MIQ website and Tweeted late at night by the MBIE account,” Bishop said.