Health resources, information, and advice to protect yourself, your family, and your community.
Click here to view more information on Cook Islands Alert level Reponses or visit Cook Islands COVID-19 Response website for more information on Alert Levels.
In the recent change of alert levels, Te Marae Ora – Ministry of health will be conducting COVID-19 tests on recent New Zealand arrivals. This includes passengers that arrived on the 11 – 16 August. Testing stations are located at the Tupapa Outpatient, Ngatangiia Puna, Blackrock Puna and Constitution Park Avarua. Once you arrive on the testing sites, all public health measures are to be followed:
Please be advised, all those who are awaiting the result of their COVID-19 test taken in Rarotonga from Tuesday 17 August 2021 can now call directly to check progress.
Contact Te Marae Ora (TMO) representatives on the following numbers:
We ask everyone to be patient when calling through and appreciate your cooperation to keep our visitors of interest updated.
For more information and live updates on COVID-19 Cook Islands, visit the Cook Islands COVID-19 web page and follow @cookislandshealth and @covid19cookislands on Facebook. To view locations of interest in New Zealand click here.
COVID-19 mainly spreads from person-to-person through infected droplets released when a sick person sneezes or coughs nearby another person’s mouth and nose. Te Marae Ora recommends these simples steps to keep yourself and your families safe.
Te Marae Ora (TMO) and the Government of the Cook Islands is working together to get all eligible Cook Island residents vaccinated. The vaccine will be free to Cook Islands residents only. The COVID-19 vaccination will be free of charge and completely voluntary.
Click here to view Cook Islands COVID-19 Vaccine Information sheet
Click here to view Cook Islands COVID-19 Youth Vaccination age 12-15 information sheet
COVID-19 vaccines that is made available to the Cook Islands is Pfizer. More information on the vaccines will be made available.
You can get a free vaccine if you are a resident of the Cook Islands or hold a work permit to work here. The vaccine is also recommended for persons from 15 to 12 years of age but a consent form is required from the parents or caregivers of the child. Any information collected will not be used for immigration purposes. We are expecting enough vaccines for the rest of the eligible people of the Cook Islands. The vaccine is not recommended for people with a history of severe allergic reaction to any component of the vaccine and they should not take it.
While pregnancy puts women at higher risk of severe COVID-19, very little data is available to assess vaccine safety during pregnancy. Pregnant women may receive the vaccine if the benefit of vaccinating a pregnant woman outweighs the potential vaccine risks. For this reason, pregnant women at high risk of exposure to COVID-19 (example health workers) or who have comorbidities, which add to their risk of severe disease, may be vaccinated in consultation with their health care provider.
The vaccine will be rolled out through a COVID-19 Immunisation programme as supply becomes available. Rollout dates are identified but may change depending on when the vaccines arrive and what’s happening in our community, NZ and the region.
The vaccines will be given to the general public at Rarotonga Hospital. TMO will confirm if any changes to venues and will issue vaccination times and groups closer to the dates.
As of 16 August 2021, flights from New Zealand into the Cook Islands are carrying no passengers. Passengers from New Zealand is put on hold till further notice. The outward flights to the Outer Islands (Pa Enua) and New Zealand remains unaffected. Te Marae Ora staff are based at the airport to conduct exit health screening for domestic departures to the Pa Enua.
For more information, please refer to Travel Information and FAQ’s for New Zealand – Cook Islands, read the joint Press Release or visit our travel page.
As of 17 May 2021, Cook Islands and New Zealand has established two-way quarantine free travel bubble under a Quarantine-Free travel (QFT) arrangement. Meaning travellers outside of New Zealand seeking entrance into the Cook Islands will need to stay in New Zealand for 14 consecutive days prior to departure.
For more information, please refer to Travel Information and FAQ’s for New Zealand – Cook Islands, read the joint Press Release or visit our travel page.
Te Marae Ora staff are based at the airport to conduct international exit health screening for passengers flying to New Zealand, and health screening for international arrivals from New Zealand and domestic departures to the Pa Enua (Outer Islands). Travellers to the Northern Group Islands are required to return a negative COVID-19 test 24 to 48 priors prior to departure.
The Cook Islands sea ports are closed to all yachts, cruise ships and leisure crafts since March 2020.
Te Marae Ora staff are based at the seaport to conduct exit health screening for passengers travelling to the Pa Enua (Outer Islands).
There are two types of tests to identify the SARS-CoV-2 virus, that causes COVID-19: 1) RT-PCR and 2) Serology.
RT-PCR (real time polymerase chain reaction) tests are the gold standard for COVID-19 testing. Samples are collected in two ways: nasopharyngeal (via the nose) swabs or oropharyngeal (via the mouth) swabs. The PCR test detects genetic material from the virus, the RNA – if it is present, you may receive a positive test result indicating infection.
Serology tests are conducted using your blood sample. It detects antibodies in your body and checks your immune response toward COVID-19. A positive serology test result may indicate past infection. A serology test is not diagnostic, but useful for surveillance.
Laboratory testing for COVID-19 involves a mixture of in-country testing, and sending swabs to New Zealand reference laboratories for analysis. You can only receive a test if it is ordered by a clinician at Te Marae Ora. If you are travelling to the Pa Enua (Outer Islands) or overseas and require a COVID-19 test, please contact Rarotonga Hospital Laboratory on +682 22664.
COVID-19 is a new respiratory illness. It is caused by a virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization declared it a pandemic on 12 March 2020.
Common symptoms include a new or worsening cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, cold-like symptoms (such as sneezing and runny nose), and a loss of smell, with or without fever (>38°C).
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, that causes COVID-19, is spread through the following modes: 1) large droplet spread; 2) aerosalised spread (for example coughing and sneezing); and 3) contact with respiratory secretions (for example contaminated surfaces).
You can become infected through direct contact with infected droplets released through coughing, sneezing, talking, singing or even hugging others. If infected droplets land on a surface or object, you can become infected by putting your hand on the contaminated surface/object and touching your face, mouth or nose.
COVID-19 is a new respiratory illness. It is caused by a virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization declared it a pandemic on 12 March 2020.
Common symptoms include a new or worsening cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, cold-like symptoms (such as sneezing and runny nose), and a loss of smell, with or without fever (>38°C).
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, that causes COVID-19, is spread through the following modes: 1) large droplet spread; 2) aerosalised spread (for example coughing and sneezing); and 3) contact with respiratory secretions (for example contaminated surfaces).
You can become infected through direct contact with infected droplets released through coughing, sneezing, talking, singing or even hugging others. If infected droplets land on a surface or object, you can become infected by putting your hand on the contaminated surface/object and touching your face, mouth or nose.
