“ACT hears the hotel industry’s call to remove COVID isolation requirements before the FIFA World Cup. If a star player catches COVID six days before a major game, Labour’s ‘abundance of caution’ will be a national embarrassment as the world sees New Zealand is stuck in 2021,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“Co-host Australia has no such restrictions, neither does Rugby World Cup host France. New Zealand, meanwhile, is living in a giant creche for adults, where Government treats us all like children. It is like Chris Hipkins is still the Minister for COVID-19.

“ACT has been saying for years that COVID response policies should be proportional to risk. Maintaining seven day isolation rules in 2023 is laughable. The Ministry of Health reports less than 1,000 RAT tests nationwide last week. However, the world will laugh at us if well-meaning athletes try to follow Labour’s rules.

“The best time to remove the COVID Mandatory Isolation period was nearly a year ago. The second-best time is today. The Government must act to avoid the risk of national embarrassment."
 

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