NZ's border restrictions in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19

As you will be aware, the government has announced further border restrictions in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.  These new measures are expected to help the health system to be more prepared in the coming months by having fewer people infected and slow the spread of disease out over a longer period of time. We are working at keeping the virus out through restrictions on people.
 
We are not restricting freight and goods which are still coming in so these new measures do not apply to cargo ships or marine crew, so we can keep sea freight routes open for imports and exports, including essential supplies.  Therefore our supermarket shelves will remain well stocked and medicines and other essential supplies will still keep arriving.
 
The changes are:
 
From 23:59 Saturday 14 March:
There will be a temporary ban enforced on the entry of cruise ships to New Zealand’s territorial waters on public health grounds. This will remain in place until 30 June 2020. Those cruise ships already in New Zealand’s waters are not included in this.
 

From 23:59 Sunday 15 March 2020:
 

•        Travel restrictions remain in place for people arriving from or who have been in mainland China and Iran over the prior 14 days.

 

•        All travellers coming from all parts of the world, except parts of the Pacific (all Pacific Islands Forum members (except French Polynesia)  Associate Member Tokelau, Observer Wallis and Futuna) , as well as mainland China and Iran, will be expected to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival in New Zealand.

 

•        All travellers coming from parts of the Pacific will be expected to self-isolate if they show symptoms, within 14 days of arrival.

 

•        Airline and marine crew are not required to self-isolate, if they have taken appropriate infection control and wear the appropriate personal protection equipment as required.

 

•        There will be enhanced health screening at the border on arrival, and at departure ports overseas before people board planes to New Zealand.

 

•    Additional screening measures for people leaving New Zealand going to the Pacific will be in force. There will be temperature and symptom checks at the border. It also means we recommend you do not travel to the Pacific if:
•    you have travelled outside of New Zealand in the past 14 days,
•    you are a close or casual contact of a confirmed case, or
•    you are symptomatic.

  
These border measures will be in place for at least 30 days, and will be reviewed every 48 hours.