Border restrictions to the Cook Islands have been extended until November.

A statement from Prime Minister Mark Brown’s office late Tuesday afternoon said Cook Islands will further extend its travel advisory restricting inward arrivals to the nation until 11.59pm on Thursday  November 4 2021.  

Hi announcement came after it was revealed there were 45 new cases in Delta community outbreak in New Zealand on Tuesday – the highest number in three weeks.

“Today’s cabinet decision to extend the current travel advisory from September 27 until November 4 was based on the advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI) and Te Marae Ora Ministry of Health (TMO),” Brown said.

“Both ministries advised that with the return of the stranded Cook Islanders from New Zealand scheduled for next month, the highest possible precautions should continue to be taken.”

Extending the travel advisory until November 4 would mean that those returning to the Cook Islands on the second repatriation flight would have cleared managed isolation quarantine seven days prior, on Thursday October 28, Brown said.

It would allow “invaluable” time for the Border Easement Taskforce and cabinet to reassess whether settings had been met for the safe resumption of regular inwards travel, and to “pivot staffing and other officials towards this resumption if determined safe to do so at that point”, Brown added.    

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Meanwhile, a Christchurch repatriation flight scheduled for Thursday October 7 had approximately 90 people currently sheltering in Alert Level 2 regions of New Zealand qualifying for managed return to Rarotonga - classified as ‘Cohort # 1’ for the purposes of managed return. 

They will arrive in the Cook Islands on Wednesday October 6, where they will enter into at least seven days of Managed Isolation Quarantine (MIQ) at the Edgewater Resort.

During that period they will need to clear day zero and day five tests for Covid-19 before being discharged and cleared for exit of MIQ by Te Marae Ora Ministry of Health.

The Auckland repatriation flight scheduled for Friday 15 October will carry approximately 280 people currently sheltering in the Auckland region at Alert Level 3 who have qualified for managed return to Rarotonga, classified as ‘Cohort # 2’ for the purposes of managed return.

They will arrive in the Cook Islands on Thursday October 14, where they will enter into at least 14 days of MIQ at the Edgewater Resort and will have additional Covid-19 testing before being discharged and cleared for exit of MIQ by Te Marae Ora Ministry of Health.

Both groups will undergo Covid-19 tests 72 hours before departure, as well as a health screening test at the airport before boarding. 

Enhanced pre-departure testing and isolation requirements have been put in place for Cohort # 2, noting the increased risk profile of those sheltering in the Auckland region at Alert Level 3. People who qualified for repatriation had to meet strict criteria and receive approval from MFAI.

“It is critical we ensure all the right steps continue to be taken to minimise any risk and maintain our very fortunate COVID-free status,” Brown said.

“We will not risk the health and safety of our people, particularly our children who are more vulnerable as they are not yet vaccinated.”