Protecting Paradise
As Covid-19 ravages the world, forcing unprecedented lockdown measures and causing millions of deaths, the 15 islands and atolls that make up the Cook Islands are yet to see a single case.
But its virus-free status - shared by only 13 other countries worldwide - came at a price. The threat of the virus and subsequent border closure sent once-heaving businesses into hibernation, putting its tourism-reliant economy in dire straits.
So when the first batch of “precious” vaccines landed in Rarotonga on May 18, coinciding with the newly opened and much-anticipated New Zealand travel bubble, there was a sense of relief and hope for the freedoms it may bring.
But freedom is fragile and there’s much at stake.
(as seen on stuff.co.nz)
