Border and Covid-19 Management Policy announced
Venkat Raman
Wellington, August 20, 2020
A negative Covid-19 test before arrival, compulsory contract tracing and a test-on-demand system are some of the major changes to border control promised by the National Party if elected to power in the ensuing general election on October 17, 2020.
Announcing the Border and Covid-19 Management Policy, National Party Leader Judith Collins said that the threat of Covid-19 will linger long and that her Party is committed to safeguarding the health of all New Zealanders.
She said that if her Party forms the next government, she will establish the ‘New Zealand Border Protection Agency’ (Te Korowai Whakamaru) to provide comprehensive management.
Stringent requirements
“We will require all international travellers to provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 test before arriving in New Zealand. Employees of the Agency, border facility workers and District Health Board staff who treat or test patients will be compelled to use contact tracing technologies,” she said.
Attacking the government as disorderly, leading to confused response, Ms Collins described the current system as ‘ad hoc,’ putting the health and livelihoods of five million New Zealanders at risk.
“More than 1.6 million Aucklanders are locked down right now because the Government dropped the ball on testing, tracing and managing people in isolation. It is not good enough. The expensive and ineffective systems we have now are not up to scratch. National will manage the border effectively to keep New Zealanders safe,” she said.
Covid-Card to be introduced
The Party’s Border control policy provides for rapid deployment of Bluetooth applications to enhance contact tracing while also exploring alternative technologies, such as a Covid Card.
Striving towards a test-on-demand system with a waiting time target of no longer than 60 minutes for a Covid-19 test.
The Party’s Covid-19 Border Response Spokesperson Gerry Brownlee said that the Crown-owned Agency dedicated to defending New Zealand from the virus would be established within National’s first 100 days in Government.
“This Agency will be resourced to act as a centre of expertise. It will have the personnel, technology and capability to provide a world-class defence against Covid-19. In the medium-term, technological advancements will improve our ability to test and track the virus. National will immediately invest and seek to rapidly deploy Bluetooth technologies to enhance contract tracing, making these mandatory for border facility workers and District Health Board staff who treat or test patients,” he said.
Mr Brownlee said systems should be continuously improved in order that lockdowns are better managed and made more effective.
Second line of defence
Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti said that his Party recognises the need to prepare a second line of defence, behind our border, to identify, trace and quickly isolate any intrusions.
“The first line of defence must be strong border management, but a high-quality contact tracing system is a vital second line. With strong contact tracing systems and a more sophisticated testing and compliance structure we can minimise the impact of further incursions and protect those vulnerable to the disease,” he said.
Dr Reti said that National will follow international models and require people coming into the country to not only quarantine but also test themselves for Covid-19 three days before departure, and provide the results of that test to airline staff before boarding their plane.
- Establishing Te Korowai Whakamaru/NZ Border Protection Agency to cut through the confused response from Labour.
- Require people travelling to New Zealand to provide evidence of a negative
- Covid-19 test before arriving.
- Deploy compulsory contact tracing technology for Agency workers, workers in border facilities and points of entry, and District Health Board staff treating or testing patients.
- Ensure new arrivals can be adequately contact traced by requiring compulsory use of contact tracing technology.
- Immediately invest and seek to rapidly deploy a Bluetooth application to enhance contact tracing capability.
- Explore alternative contact tracing technologies to add more tools to the contact-tracing system (eg: Covid Card).
- Widen the availability of testing throughout the country, making sure there are readily deployable mobile testing stations in each main population centre as well as any population centre where there is a quarantine facility.
- Implement a target for test waiting times of no longer than 60 minutes for a test.
- Require regular testing of aged care workers.
- Have regular opportunities for testing within retirement homes.
