National has released its plan to “tackle Covid-19, end lockdowns and reopen New Zealand to the world.”

Leader Judith Collins said National’s plan outlines a pathway to avoid nationwide lockdowns and then allow most fully vaccinated travellers to and from New Zealand to travel much more easily, either without any isolation at all, or with seven days at home.

“New Zealand started the year in a good position but the slowest vaccine rollout in the developed world for most of this year and a lack of planning meant we were forced into a long lockdown in August and September, one that is still ongoing in Auckland.”

Collins said “Instead of investing in contact tracing, ICU capacity and purpose-built MIQ, the Government frittered the Covid Response Fund away on art therapy, cameras on fishing boats, and Three Waters reform.”

 “The plan outlines ten steps we need to take, such as supercharging the vaccine rollout, buying vaccine boosters and next generation treatments, using saliva testing and rapid antigen tests and building purpose-built quarantine.”

 “Once we reach a milestone of 85 per cent of the 12 and above population, National believes we should start to allow fully vaccinated from low risk and medium risk travellers to come to New Zealand without going through MIQ. Non-citizens and non-permanent residents who are not vaccinated would be prohibited from travel to New Zealand.”

 “National’s plan would reunite Kiwi families split apart overseas, allow New Zealanders to travel overseas for business and pleasure, boost tourism and international education, and end the outrageous human lottery that is the MIQ debacle.”

“Supercharge the vaccine rollout”

National’s plan includes “priority vaccinate South Auckland, quickly complete vaccinating the vulnerable, vaccinate the vectors: young people, resource Māori to get vaccination rates higher.”

Step 2: Order vaccine boosters

Step 3: Upgrade our contact tracing capability

Step 4: Roll out saliva testing at the border and in the community

Step 5: Roll out rapid tests for essential workers and in the community

Step 6: Create a dedicated agency, Te Korowai Kōkiri to manage our COVID-19 response

Step 7: Build purpose-built quarantine

Step 8: Launch a digital app for vaccination authentication

Step 9: Invest in next-generation COVID-19 treatments

Step 10: Prepare our hospitals and expand ICU capacity