Summary
According to “Australia and New Zealand to start quarantine-free travel” (2021) New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the move on 6 April 2021 that “Australian and New Zealand residents will be able to travel between the two nations without having to quarantine from 19 April 2021” Australia and New Zealand will bring in "green zone" conditions for people who entering between their country. “Ms Ardern also warned that travel arrangements could change if there is an outbreak” - similar to how Australia has on two occasions briefly halted travel from New Zealand. This travel bubble is believed to be a world leader and the second in the world, after one opened up between the islands of Taiwan and Palau last week.
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Response
As we know, the pandemic issue from Covid-19 is a world problem. It affects people's health and the world economy. Every country is trying to keep infection rates near zero, but it is very hard work and less possible while people have to go out for their jobs and routine lives. As far as New Zealand and Australia have contained Covid outbreaks and kept infection rates near zero, they praised such aggressive responses as key to opening the travel bubble. A travel bubble is very interesting for me because it could help the economy, tourism and other industries. It means people can travel to another country without having to quarantine. It would make people want to go abroad for traveling more because doing a quarantine is expensive and not worthwhile. If they do quarantine for 14 days and travel only 3-4 days, it affects their budget very much. As I am working in the tourism field, many people do not go abroad for traveling if there is still a requirement to quarantine. Also, the benefit of the travel bubble will make many people who lost their jobs reunited. I did not agree about the travel bubble because I thought if there is an outbreak, it would be a new pandemic and uncontrollable, but New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern shows that she planned the coping and solution if there is an outbreak. It means the world can do it and plan too. She also gave the details of the travel bubble between New Zealand and Australia very clearly and made me understand it better. I also expect that they would be successful in the travel bubble as the second in the world after The islands of Taiwan and Palau made it. Then the world will see and follow their ways to solve the economic issues of the world. I recommend everyone to learn or read for more information about the travel bubble. I believe that it would help the economic crisis in many countries.
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Question
What do you think about a travel bubble? Do you think does it work if we do in Thailand?
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Reference
- Australia and New Zealand to start quarantine-free travel. (2021, April 6). BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-56645990
I liked Nat's choice of article, which is both of interest to everyone today, and to me especially because it concerns my own country and my own like.
ReplyDeleteUsually, I would visit my family and friends during Songkran, but have not been able to do that for two years now due to Covid. Actually, as Nat points out, I could have gone back this year, but that would have meant 14 days in quarantine in Australia — not really practical for a one-week visit. And then another two weeks in hotel quarantine after coming back to Thailand. On the whole, it was better to sit at home on Silom for another year. I had considered visiting Chiangmai or Phuket with friends, but the recent resurgence of Covid made that also seem risky.
I like the idea of trouble bubbles, but they will be too late for me this year, although if Thailand could be included, I guess I could make a winter visit to Australia - something I've done only once in the last 25 years. I don't love cold weather.
And Covid has also had a seriously bad impact on my lifestyle in Bangkok. On weekends, it has long been my habit to spend a very long lunch with friends at different hotel buffet lunches, but most of those have also been closed for the past year, although some reopened for a while before again closing! I miss the weekly over-eating. Today we're going to to a seafood restaurant at Silom Complex. It's good, but not the same as a serious three-hour stint of eating at one of our favourite hotels.
DeleteI think a travel bubble is a good way to help the economy and tourism. I heard New Zealand and Australia kept infection rates near zero for a while, people in both countries don't need to wear mask anymore and they have already lived normally like. so, I think a travel bubble for these 2 countries won't be an outbreak and as New Zealand' PM said she planned for the solution in case I think I have no worry with it.
ReplyDeleteHowever, for Thailand I think we are not ready for a travel bubble yet. Because we can't control all people who come to our country, it's quite hard to screen all migrants and immigrants especially in the boarder area. And about the vaccines, most of Thai people don't get it yet. So, I think a travel bubble isn't a good solution for Thailand.
As I read Gubgib's comment, I couldn't help thinking that Thailand might not quality to join a travel bubble because other nations are more worried about the situation now happening in Thailand.
DeleteThailand did very well initially at keeping Covid suppressed, but I'm not sure that it looks so good at the moment. Australia and New Zealand imposed very strict controls, which worked because they had widespread support despite the high economic costs that those restrictions imposed. Sadly, those strict controls have also meant that for the second year running, I have not been able to make my usual trip back to Australia!
And thinking about the high costs imposed on many people to control Covid, I wonder whether more nations, including my own, should take this opportunity to review and perhaps revise how the nation's wealth is distributed. In times of Covid, and also beyond, what is a just way to share the wealth that is created in the nation? Should, for example, the tax system be revised? And the social welfare systems? And in the Bangkok Post this morning I read the ongoing discussion about education in Thailand, which has also been a major point of discussion in Australia over the past 12 months.
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