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Overview
This photograph was taken through a bus window at one of the boundary checkpoints leaving Auckland during a Covid-19 lockdown period. The spot is the Mercer off ramp on State Highway 1, on the north bank of the Waikato River. The checkpoint was necessary because Auckland was in an extended lockdown period from 17 August to 15 December 2021 due to the emergence of the Delta variant of Covid-19.
The photograph was taken by returnee Alan Gibson who had arrived in the country on 11 October 2021 from San Francisco. He had been required by law to stay at a Managed Isolation Facility for two weeks until safely cleared of Covid-19. After receiving a negative Covid test within 72 hours of the end of the period, and a final health check on his last day, he was allowed to depart on 25 October. He was shuttled by bus across the border to the small Waikato settlement of Rangiriri, where he had arranged to be picked up by his partner, who also needed to have had a recent negative Covid test. They travelled on to Napier which had been approved by MIQ.
MIQ
Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) are key parts of New Zealand’s border control strategy during the Covid-19 pandemic. Until mid-November 2021, international arrivals to New Zealand were required to stay in managed isolation for 14 days, and be clear of Covid-19 symptoms for at least 72 hours before they could leave (four Covid-19 swab tests were conducted during the 14 days). MIQ is a legal requirement under the Covid-19 Public Health Response (Isolation and Quarantine) Order 2020. MIQ systems have evolved throughout the pandemic as new information and new variants have emerged. Since July 2020 the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has been responsible for MIQ facilities, supported by almost 1000 defence personnel.