New Zealand to reopen borders after two years

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, said PM Jacinda Ardern.

They will still have to self-isolate for 10 days but the mandatory state quarantine programme will be scrapped.

New Zealand's borders have been shut for nearly two years due to the pandemic.

In that period, the country of five million people has recorded 53 deaths and about 17,000 Covid cases - very low numbers compared to the rest of the world.

"We have missed a lot of big life events such as weddings and funerals but more than anything just miss seeing family and friends" said Joe Mulcare, who lives in Singapore.