NZ designates Fiji, Indonesia as 'very high-risk countries'

As of 11.59 p.m. on August 15, travel to New Zealand from Indonesia and Fiji will be allowed only for New Zealand citizens, their partners and children, and parents of dependent children who are New Zealand citizens (together with any children of those parents who are not New Zealand citizens), Hipkins said in a statement on Wednesday. 

Other travellers from very high-risk countries, including New Zealand residents, are required to spend 14 days outside a very high-risk country before flying to New Zealand, he said. 

The New Zealand government introduced in April the very high-risk category, aiming to reduce the risk of a large number of infected people flying to New Zealand from high-risk locations. 

The very high-risk category list initially included India, Brazil, Pakistan and Papua New Guinea, with Fiji and Indonesia now adding to it, Hipkins said. 

Currently there are more than 24,000 active cases of Covid-19 in Fiji, with the outbreak which began in April continuing to escalate, statistics showed. 

The Minister said the move is necessary to help stop the spread of Covid-19 and protect the health of New Zealanders, despite the disappointment and disruption of travellers' plans caused by the reclassification. 

"These stronger measures for specific countries have been enacted to reduce the risk of possible transmission, which is particularly important as countries deal with the Delta variant of Covid-19," he said. 

The New Zealand government is continuously reviewing border settings to ensure Covid-19 is kept out of the country and communities, the Minister said. 

Travellers transiting through New Zealand from Fiji to other countries can continue to do so, provided they stay airside on arrival and spend less than 24 hours in-transit in New Zealand, he added.