On 1 July 2023, national quarantine and isolation capability NQC (formally known as MIQ) will transfer back to the health system.

In June 2020, Cabinet agreed that overall responsibility for Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) would be transferred to MBIE as part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s response to the COVID pandemic. This was because, at the time, MBIE had the capability to stand up systems at pace.

At its height, MIQ operated 32 facilities across five regions involving a workforce of more than 4,500 staff at any one-time and accommodated 12,600 people in 9,000 rooms every 28 days.

This workforce was made up of New Zealand Defence Force personnel, doctors, nurses and other healthcare practitioners, hotel employees, Aviation Security, police, bus drivers, tradespeople, private security workers, and government workers across multiple ministries.

New Zealand’s experience with COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of being ready for future threats, and the move of national quarantine and isolation capability back to the health system presents an opportunity to prepare Aotearoa New Zealand well for that.

Quarantine and isolation functions are fundamentally public health interventions and align most closely with the work and priorities of Te Whatu Ora, Te Aka Whai Ora and Manatū Hauora.

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