Citizens of Australia and New Zealand will be able to travel between the two countries without the need for quarantine from 19 April.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the move on Tuesday.
No Quarantine Requirements
Since October, New Zealand tourists have been allowed to enter many Australian states without solitary confinement requirement, though this had not been reciprocated.
Both nations have since contained any new Covid outbreaks and kept infection rates close to zero.
The countries closed their borders in March last year and brought about the forced quarantine of people arriving home.
In the aftermath of the outbreak, Australia and New Zealand developed measures to prevent the virus from spreading.
Ms Ardern praised such aggressive responses as key to opening the travel bubble.
Covid-Free
“I cannot see or point to any countries in the world that are maintaining a strategy of keeping their countries completely Covid-free, whilst opening up to international travel between each other,” she said.
“That means that, in a way, you know, we are world-leading.”
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison welcomed Ardern’s decision, noting that his country’s border was open to New Zealanders for about six months.
“We have ensured that both of our countries … do not have the same types of virus impacts that we have seen in many other countries,” he said.
“The fact that we can be reunited and will mean more jobs, will mean that people will reunite.”
Australia has recorded 909 people dying since the outbreak, while New Zealand has reported 25.
The Travel Bubble
New Zealand will bring in “green zone” conditions similar to those that its citizens face entering Australia.
Passengers travelling to New Zealand will be required to have spent the 14 days before the flight in Australia only. Airline crews must have only worked on low-risk routes.
Those with cold or flu symptoms will not be allowed to travel, and all passengers must wear masks and provide details to New Zealand authorities where they will be staying.
Ms Ardern warned that travel arrangements could change “in the event of an outbreak” – similar to how Australia had twice suspended travel from New Zealand.
But she said New Zealand would view Australian cases as “our region when making border decisions”.
If there are many cases of unknown origin “can we suspend flights for a while”, add.If multiple cases of an unknown origin emerged “we would likely suspend flights for a set period of time”, she added.
Other conditions may also be introduced, including pre-departure inspections of people from affected areas.
“These defensive measures are part of our preparations to prevent Covid from re-emerging,” she said.
Australian state-owned company Qantas has said it will resume 122 flights returning to New Zealand a week once the arrangements begins.
