Australia and New Zealand trans-Tasman travel bubble flights resume

Australia and New Zealand’s travel bubble arrangements are set to resume after Auckland’s hotspot declaration was lifted.

About 1.7 million residents emerged from a week-long lockdown on Sunday, which was imposed to contain a cluster of the more transmissible UK COVID-19 variant.

Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) made the call to link the declaration on Tuesday after monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak situation over recent days.

Green flights will resume from 11.59pm on Thursday, March 11.

Professor Kelly said the situation in New Zealand had “improved greatly”, with minimal risk remaining from the country’s cluster.

Aucklanders get out to enjoy level two and support businesses on Ponsonby Rd on March 07, 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand.
Aucklanders get out to enjoy level two and support businesses on Ponsonby Rd on March 07, 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand. Credit: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

He said New Zealand’s contact tracing efforts had shown a recent case posed a low risk of COVID-19 spreading in Australia.

“The Australian Government will continue to work closely with colleagues in the New Zealand Ministry of Health to monitor and assess the public health risk posed by COVID-19,” the health department said.

Australian residents are still not allowed to fly to New Zealand under the current international travel ban.

Arrivals are encouraged to visit Smart Traveller for up-to-date information and local travel requirements.

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