The Deputy Prime Minister says a trans-Tasman bubble could become a reality come Alert Level 2, provided some conditions are met.
This comes after Winston Peters said New Zealand and Australia were “beating the crap” out of Covid-19. He said the extended bubble would help with both countries' recoveries.
However, a trans-Tasman bubble would be premised on there being no community transmission here or across the ditch, as well as no quarantine period in either country, Mr Peters said.
Under current Alert Level 2 guidance, only essential domestic travel is allowed.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today outlined what it would take to move from the current Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2.
“That we don't have big surges in cases, that we don't have community transmission, that we still have control of the virus,” she said.
Other considerations include community testing, contact tracing and physical distancing.
The Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said compliance with Level 3 restrictions, like physical distancing, needed to continue into Level 2.
He said the country doesn't necessarily need to get to zero cases to move to Alert Level 2 because there is a "long tail" with cases popping up down the line.
Cabinet is meeting on May 11 to assess whether the country could move to Alert Level 2.
Opposition leader Simon Bridges is questioning how the date had been set.
“Why doesn't Cabinet continuously review the need to remain in Level 3 instead of arbitrarily waiting two weeks to make the decision?”
The incubation of Covid-19, that is the time between infection and sickness, ranges from one to 14 days.
Meanwhile, Sir Peter Gluckman, the Prime Minister’s former chief science advisor, warned of over-promising.
“It's important that false hopes are not created through over-optimistic claims we do not yet have clarity on when we can safely leave Level 3.”
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