Quarantine loan options

The Government is looking at state loans as a way to get over a legal hurdle that prevents returning Kiwis paying for quarantine – and could make it a law.

According to Housing Minister Megan Woods – who is responsible for the Government’s growing managed isolation and quarantine hotel archipelago – the Government’s legal advice is that it cannot put impediments in the way of people returning home, and charging for isolation could be seen as that. Instead, the Government is trying to find a legal workaround so that Kiwis in quarantine or selfisolation would not be socked with a huge out-of-pocket bill.

Currently all New Zealanders are required to spend 14 days in managed isolation or quarantine upon entering the country.

This stay comes with a growing bill – estimated at close to half a billion dollars for the year.