National claims Kiwis stuck overseas could all be back by Christmas under their COVID-19 plan

National has announced a plan to colour code foreign countries according to the level of risk from COVID-19 they present, similar to the system Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced in the UK. 

The party's leader Judith Collins announced its plan to manage the COVID-19 pandemic on Wednesday alongside MPs Dr Shane Reti, Erica Stanford and Chris Bishop.  

Bishop, National's Covid-19 Response spokesperson, said the party's new policy would help "the lawyer in London who has come home to escape the London winter and enjoy some beers at the beach with long lost mates" and a "journey across to Oz for a bit of cricket or music festivals".

The 'Reopening the world' plan would kick in once the milestone of 85-90 percent of vaccination had been reached in Aotearoa.

National's 'traffic light' system would have three levels:

  • Green pathway - low risk travel
  • Orange pathway - medium risk travel
  • Red pathway - high risk travel

'Green pathway' travellers must be fully vaccinated by an approved vaccine, return a negative pre-departure test within 48 hours of departure, as well as undertaking a rapid test on arrival at entry to New Zealand.

That saliva-based PCR test must return a negative result within 12 hours.

Orange pathway travellers would also need testing, but would then be required to isolate at home.

Travellers from Red pathway countries would be put through the current MIQ system.

Non-vaccinated people would not be allowed entry into New Zealand.

National listed examples of 'Green pathway' regions as Queensland, ACT, Western Australia, Cook Islands, Taiwan and most Pacific countries.

'Orange pathway' examples were NSW, Victoria, Singapore, USA and the UK.