Quarantine Exemptions

Since August the 12th, when Covid-19 appeared in the community once again, people have been looking closely at the people who can come into New Zealand and not be quarantined.

People who work on airlines come and go between countries and it seems excessive for them to be quarantined and tested every time they arrive in a new place.

Workers who travel between countries on cargo ships are usually in a country for only a short time, so quarantine and testing seems cumbersome. At this point, they have to stay on board their ships and cannot come to shore.

There are also workers in the ports who have contact with cargo ships, such as stevedores. They live in NZ but could catch the virus from the cargo ships. All of these people have special risks where the normal routine of quarantine and testing are not really practical, and authorities are struggling to find ways to mitigate the risks.

Vocabulary:

quarantine: keeping someone isolated until doctors are sure that the person does not have a disease

excessive: too much

cumbersome: too much trouble

at this point: now

ports: places where ships come to land

shore: land

cargo ships: ships that carry goods

stevedores: workers at ports who take things on and off cargo ships

practical: possible to do

authorities: the government and government workers

mitigate: make something less bad

risk: danger

Song: Send Me On My Way

by Rusted Root

I would like to reach out my hand
I may see you, I may tell you to run (on my way, on my way)
You know what they say about the young

Well pick me up with golden hand
I may see you, I may tell you to run (on my way, on my way)
You know what they say about the young

Well, I would like to hold my little hand
And we will run, we will, we will crawl, we will
I would like to hold my little hand
And we will run, we will, we will crawl

Send me on my way (on my way)
Send me on my way (on my way)
Send me on my way (on my way)