Covid: New Zealand to open borders, and Serbia stands by Djokovic tests
Here are things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Thursday morning. We'll have another update for you this evening.
New Zealand to reopen borders
New Zealand has announced a phased reopening of its borders, as the country starts to ease some of the world's toughest Covid restrictions. Vaccinated citizens in Australia can go home from 27 February, while jabbed citizens elsewhere will be allowed in from 13 March. They will still have to self-isolate for 10 days but the mandatory state quarantine programme will be scrapped. There has been growing criticism of New Zealand's controversial closed-border policy to keep out Covid-19 - one pregnant journalist said she had to seek refuge in Afghanistan after she wasn't allowed home.
Djokovic tests were genuine, says Serbia
Prosecutors in Serbia say there is no evidence that Novak Djokovic submitted falsified Covid test certificates to Australian authorities. A BBC report last week cast doubt over the tests, suggesting the serial numbers were out of sequence. The tests were provided to exempt him from rules barring unvaccinated people. His visa application was ultimately rejected and he was unable to play in the Australian Open after being deported - but this was not on the grounds that documents were falsified. The Belgrade public prosecutor's office now says the health ministry has confirmed the documents as authentic.
No movement yet on compulsory jabs for NHS workers in Northern Ireland
The Department of Health in Northern Ireland says it has yet to publish a consultation on mandatory vaccines for new health and social care recruits. Last November, the health minister announced plans for a public consultation on mandatory Covid-19 and flu vaccinations for new staff. The compulsory scheme could involve all new recruits to health and social care and anyone who moves job within the health system. The consultation had been launched at the time England announced plans to make Covid jabs mandatory for front-line health staff by 1 April. However, this week that plan was scrapped. A spokesperson for the Department of Health in Northern Ireland said it wanted to "take into consideration the evolving situation in England".
