New Zealand’s Covid-19 bubble strategy could help other countries in their fight against Covid-19 by encouraging people to comply with lockdown guidelines, a new study shows.
The research led by the Auckland University of Technology, titled Living in Bubbles during the Coronavirus Pandemic, found that other countries may find New Zealand’s “bubbles” effective in encouraging compliance with social distancing.
While New Zealand is now in Level 2 with Kiwis able to socialise with friends and family, many countries around the world are still in lockdown, confined to their houses and the people they live with.
AUT’s research gives recommendations to overseas policy makers on how bubbles could positively impact their time in lockdown.
Sharyn Graham Davies, associate professor and one of the study's authors, says the bubble was a government policy of which many New Zealanders feel very proud, and from which they feel other countries could learn.
"New Zealand has been rightly lauded for its success in combatting a virus that has wrought so much devastation in other countries around the world."
She says other governments could also give more specific guidelines on ground rules for bubbles.
“Having pioneered the idea, it is not surprising that New Zealand needed to make adjustments to their policy as it went along. Other governments should seek to do better.
“Policy needs to take into account all types of potential social and care arrangements that people have.
“There also needs to be a little flexibility for those who have to leave their bubble, those whose bubble breaks down, or those who need to meet multiple care obligations over many months of social distancing.”
In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is said to have raised the idea of adopting the social bubble strategy with Cabinet last week.
The idea would see two households meet and allow up to 10 people to mix outdoors at parks for small gatherings like barbecues and garden parties.
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