New Zealand Lifts Lockdown as It Declares Virus Eliminated, for Now

[Midpack]

Other countries could have done so much better...

Crowds will gather again in New Zealand’s restaurants. Weddings will include as many hugs and guests as the happy couple wants — and even social distancing will not be needed.

New Zealand has no active coronavirus cases and no new cases, officials said on Monday, declaring that life could return to a form of pre-pandemic normal. Since the pandemic began, the country has reported 1,504 cases and 22 deaths nationally, and has been widely praised for its stringent approach to combating the virus.

“While the job is not done, there is no denying this is a milestone,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, adding: “Thank you, New Zealand.”

The country of five million people is one of only a few nations that appear to have eradicated the virus, at least for now. Iceland is another.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/08/world/australia/new-zealand-coronavirus-ardern.html

 

[stepford]

I'm so glad DW and I visited there a few years ago. There's no way NZ will be letting in tourists/refugees from the plague zone anytime soon.

 

[ERD50]

Other countries could have done so much better...

Not sure it's that simple. From a linked article:

Ms. Ardern helped coax New Zealanders — “our team of five million,” she says — to buy into a lockdown so severe that even retrieving a lost cricket ball from a neighbor’s yard was banned.

Leaders of other countries would have faced harsh criticism that this is too severe. And, I think it's too early to tell if severe lock-downs have done more damage in other areas. It's a balancing act, and I don't think anyone can measure and weigh the pros/cons yet (maybe never, the data is murky).

-ERD50

 

[harllee]

I have been to NZ twice and I loved it--wish I were there now but I expect it will be a long time before they will let people from the US come

 

[audreyh1]

Congratulations to them! They’ll have to keep out the rest of the world for a long time though.

Cases were already in the US well before any travel bans and the US officials had no clue. We thought we had time to get ready for it, but we didn’t as community spread was already happening undetected. And of course we all know the testing and tracing efforts were anemic at the start and almost useless. So we had to shut everything down for a while to avoid a nationwide wildfire. And in many places people can get tested if they wish to.

Still, it seems that the lockdowns and social distancing did arrest some really bad outbreaks, and the worst hit areas have seen significant declines in cases and deaths. And medical personnel have learned a lot more about the disease and more effective ways to treat it earlier.

But we’re going to be stuck living with this disease for a long while yet, by all indications. Low percentage of our population exposed so we are far away from herd immunity. No large gatherings and social distancing will be required for a long time yet.

 

[donheff]

Congratulations to them! They’ll have to keep out the rest of the world for a long time though.

Maybe not. Iceland has already opened up for tourism. They believe they have gotten ahead of the virus and can trace and contain any outbreaks that outsiders trigger. Maybe New Zealand can do the same. Both countries rely heavily on tourism. To the extent that they can develop effective sentinel programs maybe they came make themselves attractive to tourists and build those industries back up.

 

[BigNick]

Maybe not. Iceland has already opened up for tourism. They believe they have gotten ahead of the virus and can trace and contain any outbreaks that outsiders trigger. Maybe New Zealand can do the same. Both countries rely heavily on tourism. To the extent that they can develop effective sentinel programs maybe they came make themselves attractive to tourists and build those industries back up.

Tourism is 5.8% of NZ's GDP, but less than half of that is international tourism (source: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/immigratio...ourism-data-releases/tourism-and-the-economy/). Plus, a great deal of the international part is from Australia (because NZ is a 12-hour flight from almost everywhere else), and there is talk of creating a "bubble" with free movement between the two countries since Australia is approaching COVID-free status. So maybe there is only 2% of GDP to be lost. (Not many people go to NZ for a 4-day business trip either.)

In comparison, Iceland gets about 9% (OECD) - 10% (Wikipedia) of its GDP from tourism and I'm guessing 99% of that is foreign.

 

[audreyh1]

Yes,I knew that Australia and New Zealand were talking about a “travel bubble”.

 

[donheff]

Well, if they do create a bubble the US won't be high on their list for additional members. Glad I got there when I did.

 

[harllee]

Well, if they do create a bubble the US won't be high on their list for additional members. Glad I got there when I did.

I wonder who would be willing to be in a "Travel Bubble" with the U.S. I guess some countries might be willing just to get the U.S. tourist $$$ but I think most countries would be concerned about the U.S. Covid-19 rates.

 

[Midpack]

I assume travel will be down substantially worldwide this year, everywhere. But the major countries in Europe, North Amer & mainland Asia aren't the ones that will suffer the most - and not NZ or AUS. Looks like the Caribbean and Indonesia/SE Asia will be hurt the most.

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

There goes their streak.
Two new cases from two travelers from the UK. They were able to skirt the full quarantine period because of compassionate grounds: a dying parent, which is understandable. The unfortunate part is that one of them was experiencing symptoms but attributed them to pre-existing conditions. It sounds like they didn't mingle very much on the way to visit the parent so the contact tracing might not need to be too expansive.

 

[audreyh1]

Oh jeez! Go to see a dying parent and bring COVID-19. Too bad.

Good example of how any location that has eradicated the virus is vulnerable to visitors.

And many, many people who are sick with the virus are going to attribute it to something else if they even realize they are sick!

 

[brewer12345]

Oops!

Smug Ms. Ardern is learning that no man is an island.

 

[martyp]

A key element to success is controlling borders. Thailand closed its border even to Thai citizens and strongly limited travel between provinces. Imagine a circumstance in the US where travel between states was prohibited, Hawaii being the exception. Thailand’s only new cases for the last couple of weeks have been from Thais returning from overseas. They go into mandatory 14 day quarantine. Imported cases detected in quarantine are a success not a failure. Thailand continues to slowly open it’s economy.

 

[Aus_E_Expat]

Yes, unfortunately NZ has identified 2 new cases of returning travellers coming from UK. Hopefully that will be contained.

Rugby matches returned to NZ last weekend with full crowds as normal.

Australia is largely getting close to no new cases (apart from returning travellers). Unfortunately still some new cases in Victoria but the other states seem be clear of community transmission.

Travel between states in Australia has been closed off for almost 3 months.

Apart from travel restrictions and restrictions on large crowds, things are largely back to normal in Australia.

 

[Midpack]

Oops!

Smug Ms. Ardern is learning that no man is an island.

WADR, lacks a little perspective compared to 117,000+ deaths, versus 2 new cases. Who’s smug?

 

[harllee]

I would love to be in NZ now--I would feel so much safer there right now than in the U.S. What a beautiful friendly place.

 

[brewer12345]

WADR, lacks a little perspective compared to 117,000+ deaths, versus 2 new cases. Who’s smug?

Let's just say I am not a fan in the current kiwi gubmint and their zeal to infringe on the civil rights of their citizens.

 

[Aus_E_Expat]

Let's just say I am not a fan in the current kiwi gubmint and their zeal to infringe on the civil rights of their citizens.

The restrictions imposed by governments in NZ and Australia were accepted by the vast majority of citizens.
It is a trade off between citizens having a safe and healthy environment v temporary restrictions on personal liberties.

In both countries the governments provide full health care systems for their citizens so it seems fair the government can impose some temporary restrictions.

 

[brewer12345]

The restrictions imposed by governments in NZ and Australia were accepted by the vast majority of citizens.
It is a trade off between citizens having a safe and healthy environment v temporary restrictions on personal liberties.

In both countries the governments provide full health care systems for their citizens so it seems fair the government can impose some temporary restrictions.

Well, I suppose citizens of nz and aus are still subjects of the crown. Much luck to them.

 

[Aus_E_Expat]

Well, I suppose citizens of nz and aus are still subjects of the crown. Much luck to them.

And we are proud of it!!

The subjects of the Crown in UK have not done very well in the pandemic.

 

[harllee]

Let's just say I am not a fan in the current kiwi gubmint and their zeal to infringe on the civil rights of their citizens.

But the rules the government imposed on NZ appear to have worked. I would be glad to trade a few months of strict rules to quickly get back to a more normal life.

 

[brewer12345]

But the rules the government imposed on NZ appear to have worked. I would be glad to trade a few months of strict rules to quickly get back to a more normal life.

Porcine considerations preclude further comment on my part.

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

A key element to success is controlling borders. Thailand closed its border even to Thai citizens and strongly limited travel between provinces. Imagine a circumstance in the US where travel between states was prohibited, Hawaii being the exception.

Happening in Canada too where I think the Atlantic provinces and northern territories weren't allowing visitors in from the rest of Canada.