Remark
After many weeks abroad, the prime ministers have largely escaped living and breathing the effects of rapidly rising Covid cases. Her return tonight coincides with more than 13,000 daily cases and nearly 600 people hospitalized.
When Jacinda Ardern lands back on home soil later today, everything immediately feels different.
The Prime Minister’s post-covid travel agenda in Europe and the United States over the past two months is in stark contrast to everyday life in New Zealand.
Ardern’s journey was pivotal at a time when the rules-based order of the world is fraying and New Zealand seeks to diversify its trade routes.
It has served a purpose and had successes such as the EU free trade agreement and optimistic signs of a path to citizenship for Kiwis living in Australia.
But at home, foreign affairs is not high on the list of priorities for many, and very soon Ardern’s attention will once again be fully focused on the cost of living crisis and the crippling impact the pandemic is having on schools, hospitals and businesses.
At home, schools were forced to switch to online learning for the last week of the school year as teacher relievers across the country simply ran out.
As much as people would do please move on from Covid in New Zealandmost don’t.
That’s because many are just contracting the virus for the first time, with the number of cases skyrocketing to 13,000 a day, while others are experiencing the fear of reinfection along with new illnesses, especially the flu.
Even in Australia, where Ardern has spent the past week, life is much less focused on Covid.
At home, schools were forced to switch to online learning for the last week of the school year as teacher relievers across the country simply ran out.
Waiting times to see a doctor or receive treatment in an emergency department are increasing by the day as flu ravages the country, not to mention the nearly 600 people hospitalized across the country who are severely affected by the flu. covid.
Companies are struggling to keep doors open due to the number of employees who are sick with the flu, Covid or are stuck at home as household contact.
In Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch, it is common to see handwritten signs on the windows of shops and cafes that they are closed due to staff shortages.
New Zealand is in the orange traffic light and Ardern has made it clear that something serious needs to be done to get everyone to red.
That’s despite all the latest stats hitting stats that would have increased restrictions at any other time during the pandemic.
New variants, both here and abroad, only add to the bleak picture.
There are many instances on the other side of the world where the summer weather should keep things in check and most of the events and interactions take place outdoors.
In the US, states are now in their sixth wave of the pandemic, as reinfection rates are skyrocketing.
It’s the same in the UK where the number of cases is skyrocketing.
The difference between there and here is that a few months ago the Northern Hemisphere decided to draw a line in the sand and move on.
Covid has fallen so far off the priority list for international leaders that it hardly warranted a mention in Ardern’s bilateral meetings abroad, or joint press conferences with the media afterwards.
Traveling with the Prime Minister in America last month was very revealing while the New Zealand contingent drew attention to itself with its routine masks and determination to eat outside and not spend long periods of time in confined spaces.
The same was true for those who traveled with Ardern to Madrid, Brussels and London over the past two weeks.
The prime minister delivered several speeches to a large audience that was maskless indoors.
It’s easy to get used to that way of life – the ‘new normal’ – when you’re in a country where everyone has reached that point together, the sun is shining and pre-pandemic norms like festivals and concerts are all the rage again.
Meanwhile, many in New Zealand are doing daily RATs again because of cold symptoms that could be a cold, Covid or the onset of the flu.
Covid has fallen so far off the priority list for international leaders that it hardly warranted a mention in Ardern’s bilateral meetings abroad, or joint press conferences with the media afterwards.
All the while at home, her own ministers went like flies – Grant Robertson, Nanaia Mahuta, Andrew Little and Priyanca Radhakrishnan have all tested positive for Covid-19 in the past week.
As much as Kiwis would like to be on the other side of the pandemic, the reality is anything but.
Ardern will spend just three nights back on New Zealand’s shores before departing again for five days in Fiji at the Pacific Islands’ Forum.
Covid will be much more on the radar at that meeting than any other she has attended in recent times, with Niue feeling the negative effects of opening the border with New Zealand and most of the rest of the Pacific. Ocean, as it balances the need for tourists with increasing cases.
When Ardern returns in a week, she hopes to see some of the results of her travels and determined messages that New Zealand is open for business again.
Now that the winter ski season has started, the Prime Minister will be optimistic that her trade and tourism missions have convinced overseas tourists to come down and spend time on our ski slopes in the coming months.
This means that the borders remain well open, businesses are running and have a health system that can handle any flooding.
At this point, some would say that’s a big question.