If you have competent isolation facilities, you can partially open the border
Radio NZ reports:
Business leaders say billions of dollars of opportunities are on hold while the government and the army fix up mistakes most New Zealanders thought were being managed.
The government is frantically trying to plug those gaps, while at the same time the Opposition ramps up pressure for the border to open.
Almost four million international tourists typically cross New Zealand shores each year and BusinessNZ chief executive Kirk Hope said livelihoods depend on that window opening again.
But for now, the government isn’t even resuming compassionate exemptions let alone allowing international visitors in, because there isn’t enough confidence in quarantine and managed isolation facilities.
“Until we can guarantee that, I think we have to rightly say the risk is too high, now that’s disappointing because those things are all completely manageable,” he said.
Hope said the border reopening needed to be a priority.
“We do need to get the border in because the economic impact of being shut is so significant,” he said.
What we need is a quarantine and isolation system that works, and not one that allows over half the people to leave without Covid-19 testing.
We should have a system along these lines:
- Show proof of negative Covid-19 test to board the plane
- At arrival airport undergo health check to determine if you go into full quarantine or managed isolation
- 2nd Covid-19 test on Day 3
- 3rd Covid-19 test on Day 14
- Released on Day 15 if symptom free and three negative tests
If you have this occurring, you could then allow in the following classes of people:
- International students
- Those with work visas
- Travellers from countries that are Covid-19 free
There would be no risk in doing so, if one had a competent quarantine and isolation system.
Jobs are being lost because we don’t have one. It should be the major priority.