The government will relax some of the mandatory travel requirements in early May which may see passengers self-isolate instead of staying in government MIQ facilities.
Premier Dalton Tagelagi was on the News of the Week radio programme last Friday and said that the government is looking to introduce this on the flight on May 3rd.
Hon. Tagelagi said that this is not a quarantine-free travel arrangement as we know it because the government will expect that the passengers will self-isolate in their homes or accommodations for several days.
Passengers may not be required to be in managed quarantine, but they will have to stay isolated first.
“We will not expect that passengers will visit the Bond Store first thing after arriving on the island. They will have to isolate themselves in their homes for five or seven days”, said Premier Tagelagi.
Passengers will still be required to be fully vaccinated and return negatives Covid 19 tests before they can fly to Niue and only returning Niue residents, Niueans in New Zealand, and approved essential government workers are permitted into Niue.
Premier Dalton Tagelagi said that the government will still observe the situation in New Zealand, particularly in Auckland, and will make decisions depending on how the virus is impacting the population there.
He told the radio programme that allowing for the relaxing of the mandatory quarantine period of ten days will hopefully see the return of some of the specialists and judges back to the island.
The Niue High Court has had to postpone many cases requiring a New Zealand-based judge since the beginning of the pandemic because of travel restrictions. Similarly, the specialists for the Niuefoou hospital have not been able to visit for more than two years.