New Zealand announces measures to keep out omicron variant

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand volition shorten the spread betwixt 2nd COVID-19 vaccine doses and boosters and propulsion backmost the phased reopening of its borders successful measures announced Tuesday to support the omicron variant astatine bay.

COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkin told reporters the authorities has agreed to a “suite of precautionary measures” successful airy of the menace posed by the omicron strain of the coronavirus.

The spread betwixt a 2nd vaccine dose and a booster volition beryllium shortened from six to 4 months, meaning 82 percent of vaccinated New Zealanders volition beryllium owed for a booster by February.

New Zealand’s strict borderline regulations truthful acold person been palmy successful keeping omicron from spreading successful the community. The lone cases reported truthful acold person been successful travelers who are successful managed isolation and quarantine.

“Public wellness proposal suggests that soon each lawsuit coming into our border, into our managed isolation facilities, volition beryllium the omicron variant,” Hipkins said. “We already cognize that booster vaccinations importantly assistance an individual’s immunity, reducing the dispersed and the severity of COVID-19.”

Plans to let travelers from Australia to self-isolate from Jan. 17, alternatively than spell done managed isolation, person been pushed backmost to the extremity of February.

Hipkins said with Australia’s New South Wales authorities “now expecting to grounds 25,000 cases a time by the extremity of January, opening the borderline successful mid-January arsenic planned simply presents excessively precocious a hazard astatine this point.”