New Zealand ends isolation rules for vaccinated travellers from Australia as transmission rates soar

Change comes as NZ, virus-free for much of pandemic, records some of world's highest transmission rates amid Omicron surge

New Zealand has ended its self-isolation requirements for vaccinated travellers arriving from Australia, as the country's Covid transmission rates soar to among the highest in the world.

From Wednesday, vaccinated travellers will no longer need to self-isolate but will still be required to undergo a Covid-19 test on arrival and on day five or six, prime minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Monday.