The mandatory seven-day isolation period for those who test positive for Covid-19 will remain in place for at least two more months, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced on Tuesday. Photo: 123rf.com
New Zealand is being labelled a global oddity and "Hermit Kingdom redux" by opposition parties decrying the government's decision to extend the Covid-19 isolation rules.
Ministers yesterday reviewed the mandated seven-day isolation period and decided to keep it in place for at least another two months while they wait for more advice on a potential test-to-release strategy.
ACT leader David Seymour said the government was embarrassingly and bafflingly out of step with most of the world in persisting with the "draconian" requirement.
"New Zealand is becoming almost a kind of Hermit Kingdom 2.0 redux in 2023. Actually, what we need to do is move on and start embracing normality."
Seymour said Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was treating adults like children.
"It's really difficult to understand how this government can so easily and breezily put costs on to New Zealanders in spite of common sense, the rest of the world's trend, and all available evidence."
Senior National MP Chris Bishop said the government was "overly cautious" in its approach.
"We should really move to a system where it's treated exactly like the flu is," he said.
"Most New Zealanders have moved on ... people have moved to a model of self-care and that's the right way to go."
Bishop said the isolation period was hard on businesses already struggling with workforce shortages.
"We need all hands on deck at the moment. We would prefer to move to a system which is not as restrictive."
Green Party Covid-19 spokesperson Teanau Tuiono applauded the move to keep the isolation requirement in place.
"Over the last week alone, more than 12,000 cases of Covid-19 were reported. I expect nearly every one of these people would agree that self-isolating is an important and necessary step they can take to protect others, particularly our immunocompromised and disabled whānau.
"This simple step can also avoid additional strain on the health system."
As of midnight Sunday, some 220 people were in hospital due to Covid-19, seven in intensive care.
In the past week, eight people have died from the virus, bringing the country's total death toll to nearly 2700.