OPINION:
Since March 15, 2019 our poor country has been through the mill, firstly the overwhelming tragedy of the mosque terror attacks in Christchurch, then Whakaari-White Island reminded us of the fact that most of us here live on a very thin crust of the Earth.
But worse was to come. In March 2020 the country closed down due to a pandemic raging around the world, killing hundreds of thousands. Our lives have changed, perhaps forever for many. Jobs were lost, businesses forced to close, families separated by closed borders, overseas travel for most is now but a distant memory and, whilst travel bubbles are slowly being developed with Australia and, perhaps, parts of Asia, the chance of the normal ability to travel anywhere in the world is perhaps still a year or two away for most.
Opinions aside about government action, New Zealand has come out of the pandemic very well indeed. As has our closest neighbour and international friend Australia. Perhaps being so far away from anywhere and being relatively sparsely-populated is a blessing for both countries.
As time passes and vaccines take hold, herd immunity will develop in New Zealand, our borders will slowly reopen to countries where that herd immunity has also been established by vaccination. Travel will likely be restricted to only those who can prove vaccination prior to leaving. Of course the vaccinations themselves are new and there is some public trepidation about their efficacy long-term.
