Preflight tests may be extended

THE Ministry of Health expects to announce further details of New Zealand’s new preflight Covid19 testing regime next week, and it could be extended to other routes.

The news comes as international travellers struggle to meet the requirements of the scheme, announced before Christmas and which comes into effect on January 15.

Dunedin residents trying to return home have contacted the Otago Daily Times, frustrated at problems with complying with the new rules.

One man trying to come back from the United States said he had spent several days unsuccessfully searching for someone to perform the requisite test, before finally finding someone based two and ahalf hours’ drive from where he is staying.

‘‘I support testing before departing, but only nonPCR tests are readily available which may not provide results in the required timeframe,’’ he said.

The testing regime, which applies to passengers inbound from the US and Britain, is being introduced in response to both the surge of new Covid19 cases in those countries, and the emergence of new strains of the disease.

‘‘We acknowledge the challenges faced by travellers as countries and airlines across the globe put in place added restrictions to protect their citizens, staff and passengers,’’ a ministry spokeswoman said.

‘‘Like all countries, we are trying to strike a balance.’’

The spokeswoman said it was recommended the test be taken within 72 hours of flight time, and while it knew arranging that could be difficult, extending the timeframe could lead to results that were invalid.

‘‘Work is under way on similar measures for travellers using most other routes to New Zealand,’’ she said.

‘‘We expect to be in a position to provide more details within the next week, after we get a more complete picture of testing regimes and capabilities in overseas jurisdictions.’’

Most of the main transit hubs for flights from Britain and the US now required passengers to have had a negative test 72 hours before departure.

‘‘Flexibility may be required, if a flight is delayed for example, and New Zealand’s requirements now align with this,’’ she said.

Despite the international precautions it was important New Zealand had its own safeguards in place.

‘‘We’re at the end of flights or chains of flights and any actions we take to further strengthen our border must be based on our own unique set of circumstances.

‘‘We’re stepping though the options carefully to minimise any overlapping requirements on travellers or airlines.’’