New Zealand removed as 'safe travel country'

Following increased community transmission in New Zealand, Queensland will remove New Zealand as a ‘safe travel country’.

As of 6pm tonight (24 February 2021), all ‘green flights’ coming into Queensland from New Zealand will stop immediately and travellers from New Zealand will need to complete quarantine.

This comes after the CDNA recommended to AHPPC that the level of risk in New Zealand had increased. AHPPC discussed the need to change all flights coming into the country into red flights due to the  further community transmission in New Zealand.

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said this is what needs to be done to protect the health of all Queenslanders.

“Unfortunately, over the past few days New Zealand has been recording some new positive cases, which is why we are closing the border from 6pm,” she said.

“Anyone who is permitted to travel to Queensland from New Zealand will be required to quarantine on arrival.

“Acting with an abundance of caution has kept Queenslanders safe and that’s exactly the path we will continue to take.”

In addition to removing New Zealand as a ‘safe travel country’, we are also recommending all travellers who have been in New Zealand since 21 February 2021, to come forward, get tested and isolate until you have your results. This applies to anyone who has entered form 6 February who has not already had a test after entering Queensland.

“New Zealand is working very hard to contain this community transmission, but they are still in a critical stage of their response so we need to keep watching closely,” she said.

“Things can change really quickly with this virus – we’ve seen that in other countries around the world, which is why I am asking Queenslanders to reconsider their need to travel to New Zealand.”

ENDS

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