Edwina Bartholomew: Here we go again on a National Lampoon’s Virus Vacation

We need an Easter miracle to add some certainty to the next school holidays, to all our coronavirus woes, argues Edwina Bartholomew.

First it was Santa Claus, now the Easter bunny has been blocked at the border.

After 15 months of travel disruptions due to COVID, here we go again on a National Lampoon’s Virus Vacation.

In this sequel, the Griswolds pack up the car to get to Walley World, only to be turned back due to a snap lockdown caused in part by a stripper come tradie who straddled two states while infectious. It would be funny if it wasn’t actually true.

December and January were a write-off for most of us. Travel plans were scrapped, family reunions were put on hold as Sydney’s Northern Beaches cluster caused mayhem.

Everyone’s focus shifted to Easter. Flights were rebooked, holiday leave locked in and everyone crossed their sanitised fingers and toes that the virus would remain contained.

Predictably, it hasn’t. Millions of Australians are waking up to more bad news this Good Friday, more cancellations and more heartbreak.

Is this what we have to put up with for the foreseeable future?

A Virgin Australia flight crew member wearing a face mask after her flight arrives into Ballina Byron Gateway Airport. Picture: Getty Images

One in seven Australians were due to fly to Queensland this Easter, providing a much needed $1bn boost to the struggling economy.

Plenty of others were opting to drive so they could quickly turn back around if there was a snap border closure.

How many of those families have now cancelled plans altogether? How many won’t bother to book again because of the uncertainty?

That’s the real concern from tourism operators who were hoping for a resurrection of the industry over Easter.

Gold Coast Tourism CEO Patricia O’Callaghan called this week’s lockdown “heartbreaking and devastating”.

It’s especially hard as it comes as JobKeeper ends for many cash-strapped tourism businesses.

As much as I would love to book an interstate jaunt, it’s just not worth the stress right now; cancelled flights, accommodation, letting down friends and family, disappointing kids. My money is staying put for the moment.

What we need is an Easter miracle to add some certainty to the next school holidays, a salve to all our coronavirus woes. What? It already exists?

Speeding up the vaccine roll out would mean we could book that Queensland holiday, get up in the air, get across the border and be guaranteed to get back home again.

Hopefully by July, we will be sorted. In the meantime, pack some sanitiser with your chocolate eggs and have a happy Easter.

Originally published as Edwina Bartholomew: Here we go again on a National Lampoon’s Virus Vacation