Coronavirus: New Zealand-Australia travel bubble starts on April 19; North Korea to skip Tokyo Olympics

Flights to and from some Australian states could still be suspended if there were local outbreaks, New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern warned

North Korea’s sports ministry said it decided not to participate in the 32nd Olympic Games to protect its athletes amid the pandemic

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A Tokyo Olympic torch relay runner passes through an office building in Nagoya, Japan. Photo: Kyodo

Published: 8:41am, 6 Apr 2021Updated: 4:45pm, 6 Apr 2021

New Zealand will allow quarantine-free visits by Australians from April 19, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Tuesday, creating a “travel bubble” for the neighbouring nations which have closed borders to the rest of the world to eradicate Covid-19.

Though most Australian states have allowed quarantine-free visits from New Zealanders for months, New Zealand has continued mandatory quarantine from its neighbour, citing concern about small virus outbreaks there.

The virus has effectively been eradicated in both countries, with minor clusters a result of leakage from quarantined returned travellers. Australia has recorded about 29,400 Covid-19 cases and 909 deaths since the pandemic began, while New Zealand has had just over 2,100 infections and 26 fatalities.

“The trans-Tasman travel bubble represents a start of a new chapter in our Covid response and recovery, one that people have worked so hard at,” Ardern told reporters in Wellington.

“That makes New Zealand and Australia relatively unique. I know family, friends and significant parts of our economy will welcome it, as I know I certainly do.”

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called the agreement “the first of many more steps to come … as we get back to a more normal position, not only over the course of this year but beyond”.