Covid 19 coronavirus: Kiwi’s plans to become a mum put on hold after transtasman bubble pause

The Government is considering mandatory QR scanning in “high-risk” locations such as bars and restaurants, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.

A New Zealand woman’s dreams of becoming a mum are on hold after the travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand abruptly burst at the weekend, throwing her plans to finally see her family and explore the first steps into egg donation into limbo.

Jamie Higgins, 34, has been working as a midwife in Sydney throughout the Covid pandemic and had been counting down the days when she could finally see her family after a long 18 months on her own.

In addition to having all her family out of reach for a year-and-a-half, Higgins was also dealt a devastating blow last year when she was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure and had to undergo all the tests and hospital stays on her own.

Ash Higgins’ plans to help her sister Jamie, right, have a family by donating her eggs are on hold after the Government paused quarantine-free travel with Sydney. Photo / Supplied

But the latest border closures have put both her plans to be reunited with her family and to have her own much wanted family in jeopardy.

Jamie booked her leave eight months ago and was due to arrive in New Zealand on July 8 to spend much-needed time with her immediate family including her mum and sister.

It was the earliest she was allowed to take leave from the busy Sydney hospital where she works.

But with the borders closed to Sydney until at least July 6 – two days before Jamie is due to fly, she is now dealing with more stress and uncertainty.

She said having it coincide with her trip home was heartbreaking and she just wished Sydney went into lockdown earlier.

“I don’t even know where to begin with how I’m feeling. Disappointed, upset, emotional,” she said.

“This trip home is not a holiday or for me to escape the daily grind of Sydney, it was about going home to be with my family after 16 months apart and to hug them, to heal and to have my family take care of me for a bit,” she said.

Jamie’s sister Ash Higgins, who lives in Whangarei, said the distance had been really tough for them all especially when her sister had been going through such a tough time.

Knowing how gutted her sister was over the possibility of not being able to conceive, Ash had offered to donate her eggs to help her sister.

Ash, 28, already has a child and had stopped her own contraception and lined up various appointments with the gynaecologist and fertility clinic for when her sister arrived so they could go through the first steps together to see whether she was compatible.

Once they had taken these steps, Ash had then planned to travel to Sydney for her eggs to be collected there.

Jamie was also starting to lose hope she would be able to start this process with her sister due to the unpredictability of the borders.

The number of Covid cases is growing not only in New South Wales, but also in the rest of Australia. New Zealand has currently put all quarantine free travel between New Zealand and all Australian states on hold until Tuesday night.

Ash said it was a very emotional time for Jamie, who did not know whether to reschedule or cancel her flights as it was not easy for her to get leave approved, and especially not at the last minute.

“It’s just really hard for her. She’s followed all the protocols, she’s risked her health to help other people during the pandemic and allowing herself to come home and see her family – it’s the longest she hasn’t seen us for.

“It’s been very stressful and I’m just worried about her mental health as well. Obviously getting diagnosed with something like that and having to wait around and deal with it by yourself,” she said.

“She just wants to come home.”