Funny, they will check to see if you are bringing fruit or something across a border but apparently don't care if you might be bringing a virus across the border.
Microbiologist defends Govt's decision not to test travellers at border
Hannah Kronast, Delphine Herbert
Microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles is echoing assurances from health officials, saying testing for COVID-19 at borders is not effective.
The New Zealand Government has recently implemented stricter measures for incoming travellers following new cases.
Currently, there are 10 active cases of coronavirus in New Zealand. So far, the infected individuals are all New Zealanders who have returned from overseas.
Testing for COVID-19 is now mandatory at managed isolation facilities and travellers must test negative before they are allowed to leave.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield is defending the decision not to test at borders, as he says assessing people during quarantine is more accurate.
Dr Wiles agrees, saying it is the right move.
"The thing about doing it slightly later at three days rather than on arrival is it will also potentially catch people who picked up the virus in transit."
https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/microbiologist-defends-govts-decision-not-to-test-travellers-at-border/ar-BB15SKYR
California Border County Urged to Shutter as Covid Spikes
June 26, 2020
(CN) — California Governor Gavin Newsom asked Imperial County officials to reimpose stay-at-home orders Friday, after the Southern California border county saw a 23% positivity rate in Covid-19 testing in the past two weeks.
California health officials are closely monitoring positivity rates in 15 counties, but Newsom said Friday he advised Imperial County officials to take immediate action to mitigate what has become the state’s worst outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
“We’re now working with the county to pull back and reinstitute stay-at-home orders,” Newsom said, adding he’s confident county supervisors will vote to reissue the mandate. “If they’re not able to come to a consensus, I’m committed to intervening. But I’m confident in their capacity to make that determination for themselves.”
Health officials in Imperial County — which shares a border with Mexico — have relied on state support to transfer Covid-19 patients to other counties to reduce strain on area hospitals over the last five weeks. But Newsom says “decompression” trends have now reversed and hospitals are seeing a surge in cases.
State health officials have supplied the county with 1 million surgical masks, nearly 500,000 N-95 masks and National Guard medical teams to help fight the spread of the virus.
“We’re committed to providing more resources over time,” Newsom said.
https://www.courthousenews.com/california-border-county-urged-to-shutter-as-covid-spikes/
Why is Newsome letting them across the border?
Border Report: No Current Plans to Close the Border Over Coronavirus
March 9, 2020
Customs and Border Protection officers are using a combination of traveler history records, officer questioning and observation, and self-declarations to identify people who may need additional health screening, but there’s no current plan to close the San Ysidro Port of Entry, a spokesman said.
The border always introduces a unique dynamic when it comes to public health. There are different agencies and procedures on both sides, but disease pays no mind to national boundaries.
There’s been fear — stoked by President Donald Trump — that the border and its flow of people will further spread the coronavirus, but few cases have been reported in Mexico so far and U.S. Customs and Border Protection told me they are working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to add additional screenings at ports of entry.
Mexico has confirmed seven cases nationwide, according to the latest World Health Organization situation report released Sunday.
https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/news/border-report-no-current-plans-to-close-the-border-over-coronavirus/