Quarantine-free flights from the South Island to Australia are to resume midnight Tuesday 19 October 2021.
The announcement was made by Professor Paul Kelly, Australia’s chief medical officer.
Here’s a summary of the media release.
The Australian Government has approved the recommencement of green zone travel from the South Island of New Zealand from 11:59 pm (AEST) on Tuesday 19 October 2021, subject to the following recommended pre-departure measures:
- a pre-departure PCR test (within 72 hours of the departure flight time to Australia)
evidence of full vaccination against COVID-19 for those eligible, consistent with the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation definition of fully vaccinated, and with a Therapeutic Goods Administration approved or recognised vaccine - all persons travelling to Australia from New Zealand and all green zone travellers are to declare prior to travel to Australia that they have:
returned a negative PCR test result for COVID-19 within 72 hours of the departure flight time to Australia - have not been in the North Island of New Zealand for any period during the last 14 days.
At this time, green zone travel to Australia is not extended for persons that have been in the North Island of New Zealand and/or a New Zealand Ministry of Health COVID-19 Contact Tracing Location of Interest for any period of time in the past 14 days.
The Chief Medical Officer and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) will continue to monitor the situation in New Zealand and provide revised guidance as further information becomes available. A further review of the travel arrangements will be undertaken on Saturday 30 October 2021.
All passengers on flights originating from the North Island of New Zealand up until 11.59pm (AEST) on 31 October 2021 will need to go into 14 days of supervised hotel quarantine on arrival in Australia and adhere to the requirements of the State and Territory in which they enter.
As New Zealand authorities continue to address and contain this outbreak, further time is required to monitor the number of new cases of COVID-19 being identified. This information will help to determine the potential risk from people travelling quarantine-free from the North Island of New Zealand to Australia.
