New Zealand should only reopen border in early 2022, panel advises

WELLINGTON: New Zealand should keep its borders shut until early 2022 and reopen only after the vast majority of its adults have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, a government-appointed panel said on Wednesday.

It said the country, which last reported a local case of COVID-19 transmission in February, needs to stick to its strategy of eliminating the virus to avoid straining its health system, with the virus rapidly mutating overseas. "The advisory group considers that an elimination strategy is not only viable, but also the best option at this stage of the pandemic," the panel said in a report.