New Zealand PM sets out plans to re-connect with post-pandemic world

Jacinda Ardern

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday her government will explore more travel ‘bubbles’ and lead trade delegations later this year to re-connect with a post-pandemic world after more than a year of border closures. Tough lockdowns and its geographical location has helped New Zealand eliminate the novel coronavirus within its borders, but left the country of 5 million isolated from the rest of the world. With majority of its essential workers now being vaccinated and inoculation for the wider population starting in July, the government is preparing a plan for how it would reopen. Ardern said New Zealand started rebuilding contact by opening quarantine-free travel with neighbouring Australia and the South Pacific's Cook Islands, and is considering more such travel bubble options.