New Zealand’s borders will remain closed to foreigners and to non-residents.

In her latest address, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said people should expect that the country would remain closed for most of the year.

She explained that the reopening of its borders would depend on whether the vaccination has curbed the transmission of the coronavirus among its population or when enough citizens were given the COVID-19 vaccine in order to allow for safe entry.

RELATED STORY: New Zealand records no new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours 

The country closed its borders to foreigners and non-residents in the spring of 2020 at the time when the global pandemic began.

However, it will keep its “tourist bubbles” with Australia and the countries of the Pacific region.

This development came days after it confirmed its first case of COVID-19 in the community more than two months since it has a reported case.

The 56-year-old woman who was in hotel quarantine for two weeks at Pullman Hotel in Auckland where it is believed that she came into contact with another traveller infected with the South African variant of COVID-19.

READ ON: New Zealand now ‘virus-free’; lifts social distancing restrictions, allows mass gathering

New Zealand has yet to start its vaccination program in the second half of this year where they will prioritize border guards and those most exposed.

It is expected to authorize the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as the first vaccine in the national portfolio next week. The first batch is anticipated to arrive in late March.

Its government has secured 1.5 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine last October. (ES)