Every week, thousands of New Zealanders play a lottery in their desperation to come home. Their prize is one of the coveted beds in quarantine hotels. The nation requires everyone — vaccinated against the virus or not — to stay 14 days in hotel isolation..
In this photo provided by Silvia Dancose of New Zealand, Dancose, right, takes a selfie with her daughter Sofia Gagnon soon after her arrival in Montreal, Canada, on Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. As part of its efforts to minimize the spread of the coronavirus, New Zealand requires all incoming travelers, vaccinated or not, to spend 14 days isolating in a hotel run by the military.
Because demand is far outstripping supply, New Zealanders are being locked out indefinitely, despite the right of return enshrined in New Zealand’s constitution and in international law. Doctors told Graham her pregnancy was considered high-risk because of her blood type. She filed six applications for an emergency spot in quarantine, but was denied each time.
Graham, whose baby is due in mid-November, said she’s incredibly relieved to be back home in Auckland, but remains angry at what she endured. COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins recently announced plans to add an extra quarantine hotel and begin a small trial that would allow some fully vaccinated people to isolate at home.
For Dancose, the waiting to return home continues. When her 23-year-old daughter, who is studying in Montreal and has a history of depression, reached out to her in August, Dancose had just accepted a new job. But she knew she needed to be by her daughter’s side.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New Zealand battles new surge in Covid-19 casesPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern expressed concerns about a return to zero coronavirus cases becoming unattainable, with the spread of the Delta variant leading to a change of policy.
Read more »
New Zealand to abandon zero-Covid as Delta proves hard to shakeNew Zealand will begin to move away from a zero-Covid strategy toward living with the virus, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday, becoming the latest country to abandon its elimination attempts in the face of the highly-contagious Delta variant.
Read more »
New Zealand drops 'Covid zero' goal after Delta outbreakPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern admitted Monday that New Zealand's widely praised 'Covid zero' strategy had failed to halt a stubborn outbreak in Auckland and said a new approach was needed.
Read more »
New Zealand ends ultra-low interest rates, signals more hikesNew Zealand's central bank on Wednesday hiked interest rates for the first time in seven years and signalled further tightening to come, as it looks to get on top of inflationary pressures and cool its red-hot housing market.
Read more »
New Zealand raises rates for first time in seven years, more to comeNew Zealand's central bank hiked interest rates on Wednesday for the first time in seven years and signalled further tightening to come, as it looks to get on top of inflationary pressures and cool a red-hot housing market.
Read more »
New Zealand admits it can no longer get rid of coronavirusNew Zealand's government has acknowledged what most other countries did long ago: It can no longer completely get rid of the coronavirus.
Read more »