Ellener Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 -New Zealand has reported no new Covid-19 cases for more than two weeks. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters she did "a little dance" when she was told the country no longer had any active virus cases. "While we're in a safer, stronger position, there's still no easy path back to pre-Covid life, but the determination and focus we have had on our health response will now be vested in our economic rebuild," Ms Ardern said. "While the job is not done, there is no denying this is a milestone. So can I finish with a very simple, 'Thank you, New Zealand'." ( BBC ) Their borders remain closed for now but lifting of other restrictions has been brought forward after 17 days with no new cases. 4 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Ellener Posted June 9, 2020 Author Share Posted June 9, 2020 Also this: 'New Zealand's research institute in Antarctica is scaling back the number of projects planned for the upcoming season, in an effort to keep the continent free of coronavirus. The government agency, Antarctica New Zealand, told the BBC it was dropping 23 of the 36 research projects. Only long-term science monitoring, essential operational activity and planned maintenance will go ahead. The upcoming research season runs from October to March. "As Covid-19 sweeps the planet, only one continent remains untouched and [we] are focused on keeping it that way," said Antarctica New Zealand in a statement.' Link to post Share on other sites
Haydn Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 Hell of a leader they have. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Ellener Posted June 9, 2020 Author Share Posted June 9, 2020 1 hour ago, Haydn said: Hell of a leader they have. I want to be Jacinda Ardern when I grow up! Bl**dy brilliant. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Redhead14 Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 She is the example of what good leadership looks like and what happens when the leader of a country is well liked, respected, trusted and is generally an all around good person. Bravo! I wish she or someone like her would run for office here in the U.S. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Ellener Posted June 9, 2020 Author Share Posted June 9, 2020 1 hour ago, Redhead14 said: She is the example of what good leadership looks like and what happens when the leader of a country is well liked, respected, trusted and is generally an all around good person. Bravo! I wish she or someone like her would run for office here in the U.S. It's too expensive for most people I think here. Condoleeza Rice maybe next time. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
nospam99 Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 The borders are close .... duh. The best thing ANY country or county could do but some don't. Blame any infections on not closing borders. Link to post Share on other sites
elaine567 Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 Uk "closed" its borders this week... Incomers need to self quarantine for 2 weeks... Just about 6 months too late... Link to post Share on other sites
Philosopher Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 1 hour ago, nospam99 said: The borders are close .... duh. The best thing ANY country or county could do but some don't. Blame any infections on not closing borders. The thing with closing borders is that it has to be done before there is large scale transmission within the country to have any impact. In the UK and US, mid February would probably have been the time to close the borders, just before the outbreaks in Italy and Iran really got going. Closing borders that early would however likely been widely criticised as a massive overreaction as at that time China was the only badly affected country. Closing borders when there are large outbreaks in neighbouring countries or counties with close ties does not really achieve much as by that time it is probably too late as the virus will be too well established in the country. New Zealand had the advantage as due to its geographical remoteness it was likely to be one of the last places to get hit by the virus. In the meantime they could see what was happening in countries such as Italy and Spain. So when they closed their border in the middle of March it would have been seen as very prudent and not an overreaction. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Ellener Posted June 9, 2020 Author Share Posted June 9, 2020 1 hour ago, Philosopher said: New Zealand had the advantage as due to its geographical remoteness it was likely to be one of the last places to get hit by the virus. In the meantime they could see what was happening in countries such as Italy and Spain. So when they closed their border in the middle of March it would have been seen as very prudent and not an overreaction. And they could also have chosen to ignore WHO warnings based on the same information, ie unlikely to hurt us, and be in a very different position today. That's why the WHO warnings must be taken seriously in the early days of a pandemic, but then the reopenings are decided individually depending on local conditions. Link to post Share on other sites
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