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The prospects of a travel bubble covering Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific island nations have been kicked around for some time. However, only two travel bubbles exist at this point, those between Australia and New Zealand and the Cook Islands and New Zealand. But this week, the idea of a travel bubble covering Southwest Pacific countries got a fresh burst of life.
Both Australia and New Zealand have floated the idea of expanding their travel bubble. Photo: Getty Images
Current travel bubble success lays the ground for expansion
The two-way travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand began on April 19. It has proved relatively successful and trouble-free. Occasionally, New Zealand has paused quarantine-free flights from some Australian cities, but only temporarily. Today, except for flights out of Melbourne, a steady flow of quarantine-free across the Tasman Sea continues.
TOKYO (AP) Japan's prime minister announced Wednesday an additional $800 million contribution to the U.N.-backed initiative to provide COVID-19 vaccines to poor countries, a four-fold increase of Japanese funding for the COVAX program.
Japan Donates 800M COVID Vaccines As It Ramps Up Efforts With Own Citizens
On 6/2/21 at 11:51 AM EDT
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced Wednesday that the country will donate an additional $800 million to COVAX, the United Nations-backed initiative to bring COVID-19 vaccines to poor countries.
This move comes as Japan tries to ramp up vaccination efforts in its own country ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, the Associated Press reported. Now is the time for us to act, Suga said at a fundraiser for COVAX that Japan co-sponsored with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The program is $2 billion away from reaching its goal of $8.3 billion to fund free vaccines in low- and middle-income countries.