Originally Posted by
mad_atta
If New Zealand can hit its target of all willing people being vaccinated by December, why would there not be political appetite for a broader opening of borders (barring newer, even more virulent strains, and potentially with a requirement of vaccination in order to travel internationally and/or some geographical restrictions on which countries to open to)? How is there an argument for a continued, broader-based restriction solely to protect the very few who cannot be vaccinated and the unknown proportion who choose not to be?
I struggle to see how that is a political calculus which would have broad (ie election-winning) appeal? Surely Jacinta is also risk-averse when it comes to not being re-elected - keeping borders mostly closed could be equally risky from a political standpoint if the sentiment of the country isn't behind it. If in 6 months time, the vaccination rollout has been successfully completed (defining 'success' by the terms of the current stated targets), then do we really think the majority of kiwis would support many more months of heavily restricted international movement?
Obviously I say this as someone who doesn't live in NZ, so I'm willing to be educated on this. Very interested to get a sense, from those of you who are there, what you think the majority opinion on that will be.
[As an aside, my parents, both in their 80s (but with no other clear risk factors) and living in Marlborough, received their 2nd doses last week. Based on [url=https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-data-and-statistics/covid-19-vaccine-data#by_dhb_plan]this table, perhaps that's geographical luck as much as anything else - Nelson/Marlborough is well ahead of 'plan'. Meanwhile, as a 40-something living in NSW, I also got my 2nd shot last week, which I'm grateful for - not that it makes me any more able to leave Greater Sydney right now!]
Remember on here you are not getting a cross section of the NZ population.
The majority of the people are risk adverse hence the low uptake on TT flights. Likewise most NZers don't see the point of going overseas at the moment if the place they are going to isn't normal. Why go on holiday of you can't do anything, just save the cash for another year.
Given that living in NZ for the last year as been fairly normal people have been just getting on with things & looking overseas and going yeah nah.
Sure the UK & US are getting vaccines but a lot of other countries aren't. The more people getting infected at the same time the more mutations which are happening. UK, US & Israel are seeing a statistically significant uptick in cases at the moment, including a lot of break through cases. This all is putting people off the need for travel.
A vocal minority have been getting a lot of press time going we must open up etc. Though the gloss is coming off their argument when they are trying to get money from the NZ govt because the Aussies can't travel at the moment for their school holidays. It's happening in Aussie so outside NZ's control & surely a lvl4 lock down over the NZ school holidays because of the Aussies coming for their school holidays would be worse.
There is a lot of underlying sentiment that these business have had a year so far too sort things out, why haven't they pivoted/planned for the shutdown & new normal. World has changed your business needs to as well.
And the majority of the population don't understand the few business people who insist on business can only be done face to face. More people are picking up the idea of at least working done days from home, so through extension not saying the need of traveling to do work stuff.
Most Kiwis are quite happy with the status quo at the moment.