No we don’t need to test travellers from China

Stuff reports:

A Government decision on whether Chinese visitors to New Zealand need to return a negative Covid test is still pending, while experts err in favour of testing after earlier saying it was probably not needed.

China is now opening up its borders after years of strict enforcements and residents will soon be able to start applying to leave the country.

However, the loosening of domestic restrictions led to a reported explosion in cases in China just as borders are about to open.

Countries including Australia, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have already imposed screening requirements, with them requiring travellers from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau to provide a negative Covid-19 test before being allowed entry.

People need to understand Covid-19 is already endemic in New Zealand. It is here, and never leaving.

In the last week 40,000 people tested positive in NZ for Covid-19. With so many people not bothering to test, or to file their test results, the true number may be 100,000+.

So to think that blocking a few score travellers from entering NZ will have any sort of meaningful impact is farcical.