New Zealand / Covid 19

MIQ booking system led to stress and anxiety, study suggests

11:55 am on 20 February 2022

A report released by advocacy group Grounded Kiwis suggest the MIQ booking system led to stress and mental health impacts for 78 percent of those who used it.

Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Between August and September the group surveyed 1857 people who booked an MIQ spot using first in first serve system, or the lottery, or tried to.

Of those surveyed, 70 percent said they experienced stress, 63 percent said they experienced anxiety, 35 percent depression and 32 percent insomnia.

Grounded Kiwis spokesperson Alexandra Burt said the group wanted to know people's reasons for travelling, and experiences booking MIQ, because the government was not collecting data itself.