OPINION
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has set out a vision of a return to normalcy for New Zealand, a world in which Covid-19 is like the flu and people get a vaccine each year and otherwise toddle about their ordinary business.
The question that is harder for her to answer is when that might be.
There too lies the answer to the question of when we will be able to travel again without having to undergo 14 days of quarantine upon return.
And the answer to that is probably not for quite some time, even if you are vaccinated.
Ardern set out the conditions for quarantine-free travel.
The first was if it was proven that a vaccinated person could not transmit the virus.
The second was when enough New Zealanders were vaccinated that it would not matter if people coming into our fair land carried the virus with them.
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Advertise with NZME.That is some time off – the 'mass' vaccination programme is not expected until mid-year and Ardern has all but ruled out anything beyond a couple of travel bubbles until at least the end of the year.
In the short term, the travel bubble with Australia remains a possibility – it is already a one-sided bubble for those travelling to Australia.
In that regard, Ardern voiced frustration about Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's decision to temporarily require New Zealand travelers to Australia to isolate in the wake of the community case of Covid-19 in New Zealand.
It was a perfectly reasonable measure by Morrison: a 72-hour window of protection for Australia while New Zealand checked whether the virus had spread more widely.
Having opened the borders to New Zealanders, Morrison risked a political backlash if there was another outbreak in Australia as a result of that move – especially because New Zealand had not reciprocated.
It is, to be honest, something Ardern herself would probably have looked at if the tables were turned.
As yet, there is no evidence the virus has spread more widely (touch wood).
But, to be fair to Morrison, that seems to be something of a miracle.
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Advertise with NZME.The woman has the infectious South African variant, yet somehow travelled around for a week without passing it on to anyone: not even her own husband.
Morrison cannot make decision on the basis of a potential miracle.
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Ardern said she was 'disappointed' with the decision, and appeared to feel it showed a lack of faith in New Zealand's processes.
Ardern then said the success of a two-way travel bubble would depend on both countries not pulling the pin at the first sign of the virus in the other country.
Thus far, it is New Zealand which has proven the most hesitant over the travel bubble.
Ardern has stood by her cautious approach in that regard, saying there was too much at risk not to take a conservative approach.
She has also highlighted the state-by-state approach in Australia, saying the laxer rules to inter-state border closures in some states increased the risk that a Covid-19 breakout could make it to New Zealand.
"We have taken a conservative approach. And I stand by that decision, there's too much at risk."
Given all of that, Morrison may well feel it's a bit rich for Ardern to have a go at him for a similar show of caution.
