Halfway through MIQ

Above: Our daily (or twice-daily) walks are in the carpark and this adjoining courtyard.

Increasing strictness of MIQ

Today, I’m halfway through my 10 day Managed Isolation & Quarantine (MIQ) stay at Sudima Hotel Christchurch Airport.  There have been some differences since my first MIQ stay over a year ago in 2020.

New Zealand has tightened up on its processes in managed isolation (called quarantine in most of the world).

• Now, we are tested four times in a 10 day stay.  Previously, it was twice in a 14 day stay.  I was tested on Days 3, 6 and 8 (the day of arrival is counted as Day 0).
• Now, we don’t even leave the room for tests; the nurses come to your door for the swab.  Previously, we went to a testing hall, taking care to distance ourselves.
• Until one gets the first negative result, it isn’t allowed to step out of the room or let anything  (including rubbish) leave the room.  That means that smokers can’t have a puff in the first day or two.  Likewise with everyone with going out for walks.
• Now, if anyone on a flight is tested positive with Covid-19, everyone on the flight is treated as a close contact and may be subject to a longer stay.  Previously people in adjacent rows may be subject to additional scrutiny.  So, it’s very good that I flew to Christchurch as passenger loads on these flights are lighter.
• Now, walking times are specific to risk profile, eg. people whose flight had no positive passengers vs those on flights with positive passengers.  Previously there was no segregation in that way.
• Now, we are not supposed to step out of our rooms except during our allocated walking or smoking times (or in an emergency).  Previously, we were free to come and go within the hotel complex and enjoy the outdoor area (if one exists at the hotel).
• Air filtration machines have been placed in the hotel corridors to minimise transmission risk for the odd moment when more than one person is there, or when two room doors are open coincidentally.

Overall, there’s still relative freedom compared to similar facilities in other countries.  There’s been a slight relaxation on one thing though.  There are no daily temperature checks.  There are still health checks by phone on days when one isn’t getting tested.  The nurses do ask questions to check on peoples’ emotional well-being.

Exercise and outdoor time

I have been far less disciplined with my exercise compared to 2020 when I had a daily schedule to keep to.  Both at Pullman in Kuching and here, I do exercise when I feel like it.  And even then, it isn’t as regimented.  It’s partially due to a tennis elbow on the right which limits some upper body work.

It’s also partially due to the stricter allocated outdoor time here at the Sudima.

My outdoor or walking time (smoking time for some people) was permitted once the Day 1 PCR test results were received on Day 2. When the entire flight was confirmed as clear of Covid-19, we were given blue wristbands. I understood that yellow wristbands are for people whose flights had a Covid-19 case and I’m guessing purple bands who require personal escorted exercise sessions are for positive cases.

We are allowed two 1h slots for walking.  These are allocated by flight so that there’s no mixing of people between different flights.  Some slots can start as early as 0500 or as late as 2030.

So far, I’ve made it to the 0600 slots but not the 0500 ones.  With the variability in the daily routine, it’s an excuse for me to do less exercise in the room. I’d like to think that I’ve made up for it by going for two walks of nearly an hour most days. I’ve also been very lucky to have largely scorching weather for my walks, the exception mainly in the first couple of days.

Food

Food at the Sudima Christchurch Airport is always tasty and good.  On average, I get enough food.  Sometimes I am left hungry and at other times I have some extra to keep as snacks.  I’m thinking some big Kiwi blokes will be left famished if they don’t supplement with their own rations.

It’s not bad.  Last time at the Holiday Inn Auckland Airport, they gave me big heavy meals (accompanied by soft drinks) with cakes and snack bars for in-between.  I left with a bag full of canned drinks for house guests and cakes for desserts at home.