A heavily reduced international Antarctic season starts this week.

More than 3000 members of science programmes usually pass through Christchurch or are based there, but it's down to about 800 this season.

Most are part of a US programme, with others supporting work by New Zealand, Italy and Korea.

All international arrivals will pay for 14 days managed isolation and be tested twice before leaving for the world's only COVID-free continent - including New Zealanders.

Antarctica New Zealand General manager of operations Simon Trotter told Heather du Plessis-Allan they have about a hundred personnel heading to Scott Base.

"We want to make sure we've got every measure in place to prevent this getting into Antarctica.

"This is not Government led, this is something we will be doing ourselves."