New Zealand is planning to cautiously reopen to the world starting in early 2022.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that vaccinated travelers from low-risk countries will be allowed to enter New Zealand starting in early 2022, marking the first step in easing the nation's stringent border restrictions.

In a speech on Thursday, Ardern revealed plans to accelerate New Zealand's Covid-19 vaccination campaign as part of a phased border reopening. 'Our goal is to eventually allow quarantine-free travel for all vaccinated individuals. Today's announcement reflects our clear direction and ambition, though we're not yet ready for a full reopening,' said Ardern.

New Zealand has achieved one of the lowest Covid-19 infection rates among developed nations, with fewer than 3,000 reported cases and just 26 deaths in a population of nearly 5 million.

Ardern credited New Zealand's success in keeping case numbers low to the country's decision to close its borders to non-residents in March 2020. Since April 2020, mandatory 14-day quarantine has been enforced, limiting the number of citizens returning to the country.

Prime Minister Ardern stated, 'If New Zealand had faced the same level of impact as the UK or the US, nearly 10,000 New Zealanders would have died.'

However, Ardern acknowledged that the country’s strict border controls have also led to New Zealand being relatively isolated, disconnected from the global community.

Ardern clarified, 'We can’t keep the border restrictions in place forever. We don’t want to, and neither do the experts we consult. These border measures were always intended to be temporary, to prevent Covid from entering before a vaccine was developed and distributed.'

'As long as the scientific evidence supports it, we will transition from border defenses to relying on the vaccine as our protection,' she added.

As part of the gradual reopening, Ardern revealed that New Zealand would introduce a tiered, risk-based system for entry starting in early 2022.

Ardern emphasized, 'A cautious strategy that accepts we won't have zero cases, but when one arises in the community, we take swift action to eliminate it, is the best way to keep our lives as normal as possible while monitoring the developments of Covid-19 over the next six months.'

Under the new system, according to a government statement, vaccinated travelers from high-risk countries would still be required to quarantine in a managed facility for 14 days. However, those from medium-risk countries may face reduced quarantine or be allowed to self-isolate, while travelers from low-risk countries will be permitted entry without quarantine.

New Zealand has not yet revealed the specific countries that will be categorized as low, medium, or high risk.

Simultaneously, the government has accelerated vaccination timelines. According to the statement, New Zealand will also pilot a program between October and December allowing some returning travelers to self-isolate at home.

Ardern's announcement comes as neighboring Australia grapples with several outbreaks of the Covid-19 Delta variant, leading to extended lockdowns in Sydney and Melbourne. On Thursday, Canberra, the Australian capital, also entered a week-long lockdown after a Covid-19 case was confirmed in the city.

On July 30, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison unveiled a four-stage roadmap to reopen Australia's borders once vaccination rates exceed 70%. Both Australia and New Zealand have faced challenges in vaccinating their populations—currently, only 23% of Australians aged 16 and over have received both doses, while less than 20% of New Zealanders have been fully vaccinated.

During her address on Thursday, Ardern reaffirmed that New Zealand would not abandon its goal of achieving zero Covid-19 cases, despite the progress in vaccinations. In contrast, some countries, like Singapore, have recently shifted towards a risk-reduction approach, focusing on minimizing deaths and hospitalizations rather than attempting to eliminate all infections.

However, Ardern emphasized that New Zealand could not afford to allow a Delta variant outbreak similar to the one currently affecting neighboring Australia.

'Our first principle will remain unchanged... to continue pursuing our elimination strategy to eradicate the virus, so we can protect our hard-earned progress and keep all options available,' she stated.