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@canefan said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@majorrage is there anything stopping you coming back other than the time and costs of MIQ? Real question, just curious what the situation is for ex pats living in the UK
Ability to get into MIQ is the block. Nothing available through to end of November at the moment. Yes, more will be released, but reality is that I have to get back for any reason, I can't. Thats mentally pretty tough to deal with.
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@majorrage said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@canefan said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@majorrage is there anything stopping you coming back other than the time and costs of MIQ? Real question, just curious what the situation is for ex pats living in the UK
Ability to get into MIQ is the block. Nothing available through to end of November at the moment. Yes, more will be released, but reality is that I have to get back for any reason, I can't. Thats mentally pretty tough to deal with.
That is a terrible situation to be in mate. My sister and her family just went back to Melbourne after having their first visit home to see us and our folks for the first time in over 18 months thwarted by a series of lockdowns. The emotional relief was clear to see. Covid has robbed us of the world as we knew it and who knows when we will get it back
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@majorrage said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@canefan said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@majorrage is there anything stopping you coming back other than the time and costs of MIQ? Real question, just curious what the situation is for ex pats living in the UK
Ability to get into MIQ is the block. Nothing available through to end of November at the moment. Yes, more will be released, but reality is that I have to get back for any reason, I can't. Thats mentally pretty tough to deal with.
If the opportunity presents itself you just have to take it (assuming you can). The situation can change in a day, as we are seeing in Australia right now
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@canefan said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@majorrage said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@canefan said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@majorrage is there anything stopping you coming back other than the time and costs of MIQ? Real question, just curious what the situation is for ex pats living in the UK
Ability to get into MIQ is the block. Nothing available through to end of November at the moment. Yes, more will be released, but reality is that I have to get back for any reason, I can't. Thats mentally pretty tough to deal with.
If the opportunity presents itself you just have to take it (assuming you can). The situation can change in a day, as we are seeing in Australia right now
My time off is severely limited, so being able to combine that, with my wife’s time off, and MIQ, and cost, essentially makes it impossible for us to go home.
And, I honestly believe that the NZ government wants it that way - the policy behind the policy here is don’t come home - unless you are coming home for good, or super rich. I’m neither.
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@gt12 said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
And, I honestly believe that the NZ government wants it that way - the policy behind the policy here is dint come home - unless you are coming home for good, or super rich. I’m neither.
100% agree. Not necessarily in agreement with the first point, but the second gets me big time. Socialist government, my arse.
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@majorrage said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@canefan said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@majorrage is there anything stopping you coming back other than the time and costs of MIQ? Real question, just curious what the situation is for ex pats living in the UK
Ability to get into MIQ is the block. Nothing available through to end of November at the moment. Yes, more will be released, but reality is that I have to get back for any reason, I can't. Thats mentally pretty tough to deal with.
Having been through this earlier in the year trying to get spots for son and partner to return I feel the frustration. If anything it seems to have gotten worse.
My only theory is that the increased business/sports travel in and out of the country is putting pressure on the MIQ availability.
MBIE really needs to think this out better and place some kind of queueing/ prioritising system in place or at the very least have two separate allocations. One for kiwis trying to return, the other for those that are popping in and out.
There will come a time when the generosity of immigration in places like the UK will come to an end and some on temporary visas will be stranded.
They could even do it for a window. Say here is three months of MIQ for those that need to return because visas are running out. Anything after that is back to the normal system. Here is your chance. -
@rapido said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
I would see the building of permanent MIQ facilities as a positive sign to your chances of returning without having to do MIQ.
Passengers from vaccinated, trusted, in-control countries wont be using them.
And I suppose there will be more slots available from countries whose people require quarantine
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@rapido said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
I would see the building of permanent MIQ facilities as a positive sign to your chances of returning without having to do MIQ.
Passengers from vaccinated, trusted, in-control countries wont be using them.
This is what I'm really hoping for. Then I read @MajorRage's posts and get triggered in the same way and don't know what to think/feel.
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@tewaio said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@rapido said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
I would see the building of permanent MIQ facilities as a positive sign to your chances of returning without having to do MIQ.
> > Passengers from vaccinated, trusted, in-control countries wont be using them.
This is what I'm really hoping for. Then I read @MajorRage's posts and get triggered in the same way and don't know what to think/feel.
The way NZ defines 'in-control' scares me, as does the fact that both parties have a policy of building prisons to hold citizens who have done nothing wrong.
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@rapido said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
I would see the building of permanent MIQ facilities as a positive sign to your chances of returning without having to do MIQ.
Passengers from vaccinated, trusted, in-control countries wont be using them.
So if I am vaccinated, have the documentation to prove it but am NOT from "in-control" country, does this mean I will still have to quarantine if I travel to NZ?
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@frank said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@rapido said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
I would see the building of permanent MIQ facilities as a positive sign to your chances of returning without having to do MIQ.
Passengers from vaccinated, trusted, in-control countries wont be using them.
So if I am vaccinated, have the documentation to prove it but am NOT from "in-control" country, does this mean I will still have to quarantine if I travel to NZ?
Could do. That's what countries are trying to work out. Vaccination doesn't stop you getting Covid or carrying it.
If NZ decided that it couldn't cope with getting 'out of control' then why would it open the borders wide to people coming from countries in that very position?
Risk mitigation.
Lower the risk lower the chances of occurrence -
@crucial said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@frank said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@rapido said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
I would see the building of permanent MIQ facilities as a positive sign to your chances of returning without having to do MIQ.
Passengers from vaccinated, trusted, in-control countries wont be using them.
So if I am vaccinated, have the documentation to prove it but am NOT from "in-control" country, does this mean I will still have to quarantine if I travel to NZ?
Could do. That's what countries are trying to work out. Vaccination doesn't stop you getting Covid or carrying it.
If NZ decided that it couldn't cope with getting 'out of control' then why would it open the borders wide to people coming from countries in that very position?
Risk mitigation.
Lower the risk lower the chances of occurrenceWell that sucks.
I suppose it'll be hard to book tickets as well because at any moment NZ could deem a country as out of control when previously it was in control due to an outbreak in that country. A lot of uncertainty.I thus assume, since this is NZ 's position, they are pressing the pedal to the metal on getting everyone vaccinated?
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@frank said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@crucial said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@frank said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@rapido said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
I would see the building of permanent MIQ facilities as a positive sign to your chances of returning without having to do MIQ.
Passengers from vaccinated, trusted, in-control countries wont be using them.
So if I am vaccinated, have the documentation to prove it but am NOT from "in-control" country, does this mean I will still have to quarantine if I travel to NZ?
Could do. That's what countries are trying to work out. Vaccination doesn't stop you getting Covid or carrying it.
If NZ decided that it couldn't cope with getting 'out of control' then why would it open the borders wide to people coming from countries in that very position?
Risk mitigation.
Lower the risk lower the chances of occurrenceWell that sucks.
I suppose it'll be hard to book tickets as well because at any moment NZ could deem a country as out of control when previously it was in control due to an outbreak in that country. A lot of uncertainty.I thus assume, since this is NZ 's position, they are pressing the pedal to the metal on getting everyone vaccinated?
Jumping the gun a bit there. NZ doesn't have a 'position' on that scenario (yet).
Strategy seems to be to keep it out until the effects are lessened by vaccination which also provides time to observe the rest of the world from within a bubble and make decisions when required. Until the vax rollout finishes and we can see how places like the UK have faired I doubt any decisions will be made. -
I got home last night and had 'the letter' inviting me to go online and register for a jab.
I'd already got a spot via phone for mid August but when booking that they told me if I got contacted to go online as their are usually spots available that the call centre people can't access.
There was - today!!
I know in practical terms this is pretty meaningless but psychologically it feels like progress.
Booking was hassle free and only took a couple of minutes I was actually able to do it while on the phone to someone.
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It's a very haphazard process being run by the Ministry and DHB's.
I got a text in early June asking me to 'book now'as part of Group Three. I rang and the earliest possible slot was a Saturday in mid August, which I took.
Since then I've read on social media of plenty of people getting vaxxed by wandering into the right place at the right time with no booking, or a short notice booking, or a whole small community turning up, etc etc. Which is all good in the end as it's herd immunity that counts for opening borders etc.
But the selfish part of me will still be bemused at the prioritisation process if the growing number of delta cases in MIQ, and in nearby vessels, jumps the border before mid August...
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I wonder how long the legal fiction of MIQ requirements will stand given the unavailability.
There were some hints at this on an online comment by CHris Hipkins/Stuff article ( I know, I know), but the reality is right now NZ is preventing citizens from returning. At the risk of appearing like a pearl clutcher, this appears to be a breach of human rights. I think a judicial review could be very interesting, particularly in light of the fact that Immigration NZ can no longer deport people to countries with high risk of covid (India, specifically, and others by inference).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_of_return
We live in interesting times, and I personally really preferred the old boring times.
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@donsteppa I don't understand why it isn't a standard service. In June my GP asked if I had been contacted as I too am Group 3. When I said no he gave me an 0800 number to ring and I effectively queue jumped I guess. Then I get a letter. I never got a text. I get some people don't have mobiles but all my details are with my GP so why do you get a text and I get snail mail?
Then seven weeks ago the first available date but a of today you can get in immediately. To the last point I'm guessing that's increased capacity at the Vaccination Centre but it all seems a little weird.
I walk past the Vacc Centre regularly and of late it has been noticeable busier with queues out the door, but most of the people queueing seem to be in their 20's. What's with that?
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@nzzp said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
I wonder how long the legal fiction of MIQ requirements will stand given the unavailability.
There were some hints at this on an online comment by CHris Hipkins/Stuff article ( I know, I know), but the reality is right now NZ is preventing citizens from returning. At the risk of appearing like a pearl clutcher, this appears to be a breach of human rights. I think a judicial review could be very interesting, particularly in light of the fact that Immigration NZ can no longer deport people to countries with high risk of covid (India, specifically, and others by inference).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_of_return
We live in interesting times, and I personally really preferred the old boring times.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/20-07-2021/david-farrier-the-problem-of-returning-home/
Coronavirus - New Zealand