Travellers from China won’t be required to check for Covid-19 earlier than coming to New Zealand.
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Health specialists imagine the federal government’s choice not to impose mandatory pre-departure tests for worldwide travellers is the fitting name.

It follows rising world issues concerning the Covid-19 case numbers out of China and issues by authorities such because the World Health Organisation (WHO) a couple of lack of reliable data out of the country.

Covid-19 Response Minister Ayesha Verrall mentioned officers had carried out a public well being threat evaluation and concluded there was minimal threat to New Zealanders.

In an announcement yesterday, Verrall acknowledged the WHO’s issues and mentioned the federal government could be asking travellers arriving from China to assist collect extra info.

Covid-19 Response Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall.
Photo: RNZ / Soumya Bhamidipati

This would come with e-mails to a random sampling of current arrivals from China to ask them to undertake a voluntary fast antigen take a look at (RAT) and share it with authorities.

Verrall mentioned BF7 was the prevalent variant in China and had not precipitated vital outbreaks in different international locations that, like New Zealand, had already been uncovered to the BA5 variant.

University of Otago epidemiologist Michael Baker described the transfer as a “complex and finely balanced decision”.

But he mentioned some future planning was required round how testing of worldwide guests was managed.

“Situations where countries are experiencing a surge of cases, or potentially, a more dangerous new variant,” he mentioned.

“We do not even have that in the mean time.

“Given the way this virus is continuing to evolve, I do think we need to have a strategy for what we’re going to do about new variants and surges of new cases coming across the border.”

University of Otago epidemiologist Michael Baker.
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Travellers from China to Australia could be required to have a negative pre-departure test from immediately, becoming a member of the likes of the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.

Baker mentioned though there have been advantages to pre-departure testing, it mustn’t simply be about China.

“I think it is a pity that China is being singled out in this instance,” he mentioned.

“I believe it is extra concerning the rules of biosecurity.

“At what level will we require comparatively easy pre-travel measures, like requiring supervised RAT exams earlier than folks get on flights.

“There must be circumstances when we would say ‘actually that makes sense’.”

ESR scientists would additionally pilot wastewater testing from worldwide flights within the coming weeks, which might substitute the focused and non permanent voluntary testing introduced yesterday for travellers from China.

University of Auckland microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles.
Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook

University of Auckland microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles mentioned the federal government’s announcement was a “sensible response”, however known as for extra measures inside New Zealand’s borders.

“We aren’t doing enough in my opinion to reduce transmission,” Wiles mentioned

“I think we should be having masks on public transport, and supermarkets and retail,” she mentioned.

“We actually should be coping with the difficulty of air flow … clear air.

“We know this virus spreads through the air and masks and ventilation are things that would work for any variant.”

Wiles mentioned strikes to impose journey restrictions solely for China, and never different international locations, was a case of “xenophobia”.

“We’ve seen it happen during the pandemic where certain countries have been targeted, and it hasn’t worked.”

National Party MP Simeon Brown.
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Opposition political events additionally welcomed the federal government’s announcement.

National Party MP Simeon Brown mentioned it was good to see advice from health officials being adopted.

“To support public confidence in decisions like this, the government should release the health advice the decision was based on,” he mentioned.

ACT chief David Seymour mentioned pre-departure testing was “no silver bullet”.

“The effect of pre-departure testing on New Zealand case numbers would have been negligible,” Seymour mentioned.

“The impact on Chinese Kiwis desirous to see household, and tourism operators desirous to get Chinese prospects again would have been main inconvenience for little profit.

“This is a sensible position instead of importing 2020 panic into another new year.”