An epidemiologist says he would have no problem with quarantine-free travel between New Zealand and most Pacific Islands.
This week New Zealand confirmed there were no active cases of Covid-19, and there have been no new cases for nearly three weeks.
That's increased calls from the region to open travel to struggling tourism-dependent countries.
Professor Nick Wilson Photo: RNZ Insight / John Gerritsen
A professor of public health at Otago University, Nick Wilson, said New Zealand had certainly eliminated the coronavirus.
"For those Pacific Islands that have eliminated Covid - basically most never had it - I can see no problem with quarantine free travel with those Pacific islands," he said.
"Where it gets complicated is Australia, which has some states that are virtually Covid free, we could perhaps come to some arrangements with them."
Earlier New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her government's first priority for a travel bubble remained Australia.
Meanwhile a Rarotongan community leader in the Cook Islands said people were keen to open up a Pacific travel bubble with New Zealand, provided Australia was not included.
A Rarotonga beach Photo: AFP
Tere Carr said locals were hesitant about Australia's inclusion.
She said Cook Islanders had had time to contemplate what's important and while the economy needed to get back on track, the country could not risk the health of its people.
Ms Carr said they were certain New Zealand could provide a good channel between other Pacific countries which were Covid-19 free.
"I think we would still be really hesitant if the border with Australia was opened because it would just take one person to slip through and that's a danger we face up here," she said.
"So I think people are still hesitant about it but looking to New Zealand to provide the way forward because it's done an excellent job so far."
