A Government spokesman on Monday said Covid-19 had grown exponentially around the world and there was a new, more transmissible, strain since the Government last dismissed the offshore tests.
The managed isolation and quarantine system remained New Zealand’s main protection, and pre-departure testing was “just another layer we are adding, as travel to NZ often involves several transit stops”. The new tests were legally justifiable because of the risk of Covid-19 to the wider New Zealand community.
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Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman said the pre-border testing was misguided and counter-productive.
A change would be made to the Covid-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Order to bring the new test into law.