Quarantine Free Travel With New South Wales Continues

The Ministry of Health has confirmed Quarantine Free Travel with New South Wales will continue – subject to no further significant developments in the Australian State.

“New Zealand health officials met today to conduct an assessment of the public health risk from the recently identified COVID-19 community cases in Sydney. It has been determined that, at this time, the risk to public health in New Zealand remains low,” says the Ministry’s Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay.

Health officials are continuing to review details of three confirmed community cases of COVID-19 reported in New South Wales in the past 24 hours, and a fourth case is under investigation.

The Ministry is contacting people who have travelled from Sydney to New Zealand since 11 June to advise them to check the locations of interest and self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. Anyone who develops symptoms should self-isolate and contact Healthline about getting a test.

“The Ministry strongly believes a cautious approach is the best course of action while investigations continue, so Quarantine Free Travel with New South Wales will be under constant review,” says Dr McElnay.

“Border controlsare a key tool for stopping the introduction and spread of new cases from overseas and remain central to our elimination strategy.”

There is some specific advice for travellers to be aware of:
· Flights from New South Wales to New Zealand will continue - subject to no significant developments in New South Wales.
· Anyone who is in Australia and was at any of the locations of interest at the times specified is asked to follow NSW health advice regarding isolation and testing and MUST NOT travel to New Zealand within 14 days from when they were at the location.
· As before, anyone who has arrived in New Zealand and who was at a location of interest at the specified time must self-isolate immediately and call Healthline for information on when they should be tested.

New Zealand health officials are continuing to consider a range of factors, including whether any new cases are identified, the results from COVID-19 testing of any contacts identified and from the wider Sydney community.

There will be some additional public health measures required for people who are or have recently been in Sydney.
· Airlines will continue to ask people departing Australia whether they have visited any locations of interest in New South Wales both before and when disembarking from their flights. 
· A Section 70 notice has been issued under the Health Act, which requires any person in New Zealand who attended locations of interest to self-isolate and get tested for COVID-19. More information on what a section 70 notice is and what it means for these people, is available on theMinistry of Health website.

“We remain in close contact with health officials in New South Wales and will continue to closely monitor the situation. Updates will be provided if there is any change to this latest advice,” says Dr McElnay.

Information about quarantine-free travel between New South Wales and New Zealand is available on the COVID19 website:

https://covid19.govt.nz/travel/quarantine-free-travel/australia/new-south-wales/

Information about locations of interest visited by the cases is available on the New South Wales health website:

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/case-locations-and-alerts.aspx

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