How did New Zealand respond to the virus?

[Thick Face Black Heart]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-52436658

The country brought in some of the toughest restrictions in the world on travel and activity early on in the pandemic, when it only had a few dozen cases.

It closed its borders, started enforcing quarantine of all arrivals in the country, brought in a stringent lockdown and mounted an extensive testing and contact tracing operation.

Beaches, waterfronts and playgrounds were shut on 26 March, as were offices and schools. Bars and restaurants were also closed, including for takeaway and delivery.

Ms Ardern said modelling indicated New Zealand could have had more than 1,000 cases a day if it had not brought in the lockdown so early.

She said the country could never know how bad it would have been, but that "through our cumulative actions we have avoided the worst".

New Zealand's remote location and easily sealable borders played in its favour when the virus broke out, experts say.

But the government has also been praised for the clarity of its messaging throughout the crisis.

At midnight local time (12:00 GMT on Monday), New Zealand will move from Level Four lockdown to Level Three. That means most businesses will be able to reopen - including restaurants for takeaways - but not those involving face-to-face contact.

New Zealanders are being told to stick to their "bubble" - a small group of close friends or family - and to stay 2m (6ft) away from people.

Mass gatherings are still banned, shopping centres remain closed and most children will remain away from school. New Zealand's border will remain closed.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

New Zealand says it has stopped community transmission of Covid-19, effectively eliminating the virus.

With new cases in single figures for several days - one on Sunday - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the virus was "currently" eliminated.

But officials have warned against complacency, saying it does not mean a total end to new coronavirus cases.

The news comes hours before New Zealand is set to move out of its toughest level of social restrictions.

From Tuesday, some non-essential business, healthcare and education activity will be able to resume.

Most people will still be required to remain at home at all times and avoid all social interactions.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday claimed New Zealand had scored a significant victory against the spread of the coronavirus, as the country began a phased exit from lockdown.

"There is no widespread, undetected community transmission in New Zealand," Ardern declared. "We have won that battle."

After nearly five weeks at the maximum Level Four restrictions -- with only essential services operating -- the country will move to Level Three late on Monday.

That will allow some businesses, takeaway food outlets and schools to reopen.

But Ardern warned there was no certainty about when all transmission can be eliminated, allowing a return to normal life.

Everyone wants to "bring back the social contact that we all miss", she said, "but to do it confidently we need to move slowly and we need to move cautiously."

"I will not risk the gains we've made in the health of New Zealanders. So if we need to remain at Level Three, we will."

The easing of restrictions came as New Zealand, a nation of five million people, reported only one new case of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, taking the total to 1,122 with 19 deaths.

 

[nayr69sg]

Hooray!

Wah whole country of New Zealand only has 5 million people?

Really? Thats a smaller population that Singapore!

Smaller population than province of Alberta!

 

[rushifa666]

By bragging when its not even over? Taiwan has 5 days of no case. Hongkong has 3. Even they are not as arrogant

 

[tanwahtiu]

Autum to Winter coming.... NZ is lucky low tourist visitors, anyway the country is smelly, 2 million sheeps, 2 million cows, all domestic breed for food farts all the time.

Many give a pass this season, nothing to lose not going there.

More to lose if go there.

Come visit NZ.... we will take yr breath away....

Tioboh

Psst...psst...if you Not like my bullshit click the like button .

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-52436658

The country brought in some of the toughest restrictions in the world on travel and activity early on in the pandemic, when it only had a few dozen cases.

It closed its borders, started enforcing quarantine of all arrivals in the country, brought in a stringent lockdown and mounted an extensive testing and contact tracing operation.

Beaches, waterfronts and playgrounds were shut on 26 March, as were offices and schools. Bars and restaurants were also closed, including for takeaway and delivery.

Ms Ardern said modelling indicated New Zealand could have had more than 1,000 cases a day if it had not brought in the lockdown so early.

She said the country could never know how bad it would have been, but that "through our cumulative actions we have avoided the worst".

New Zealand's remote location and easily sealable borders played in its favour when the virus broke out, experts say.

But the government has also been praised for the clarity of its messaging throughout the crisis.

At midnight local time (12:00 GMT on Monday), New Zealand will move from Level Four lockdown to Level Three. That means most businesses will be able to reopen - including restaurants for takeaways - but not those involving face-to-face contact.

New Zealanders are being told to stick to their "bubble" - a small group of close friends or family - and to stay 2m (6ft) away from people.

Mass gatherings are still banned, shopping centres remain closed and most children will remain away from school. New Zealand's border will remain closed.

 

[laksaboy]

It's also easier to do social distancing when you're not an overcrowded shithole with one of the highest population densities in the world.