Teinatangi Ringi

People arriving on tomorrow’s (Friday 14 August) flight from New Zealand, must have undertaken a COVID-19 test, and undergo supervised quarantine in their homes for 14 days when they arrive.

Practising physical distancing and good hygiene practices everywhere you travel is the simplest and most effective way to minimise the chance of infection.

Travellers arriving in the Cook Islands on Friday’s plane from New Zealand will be invited to keep track of their movements as part of the COVID-19 contact tracing pilot

Secretary of Health Dr Josephine Aumea Herman today confirmed this week’s repatriation
flight will depart Auckland on Saturday, arriving here Friday as planned

Just as closing the border on March 25 contributed significantly to the Cook Islands achieving COVID-19 free status, reversing that and easing border restrictions requires a cautious and careful approach to minimise the risk of importing COVID-19

Cook Islands border restrictions are lifting, initially to Cook Islands residents and work permit holders

While our country is currently one
of the very few in the world that is
currently COVID-19 free…we can’t
afford to drop our guard now, or into the future, otherwise all that good work will come tumbling down

The first cohort of returning Cook Islands residents arrives this afternoon. Prime Minister Henry Puna noted “It is a triumph of our people’s strength, government policy, and coordinated efforts with our international partners that allows our people to come home.