New Zealand Back Into Lockdown

New Zealand has been touting itself as having the answer on how to deal with COVID-19. Well they don't, I couldn't put it more bluntly than that.

At the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, NZ was somewhat reluctant to close its borders. It did close to China reasonably early, but remained open to the rest of the World. So the Coronavirus arrived on its shores from Iran and Italy. Then what followed was the most drastic lockdown anywhere. This wrecked the local economy, wiping out all inbound tourism which accounted for almost 20% of export revenue.

Not that clever New Zealand and did this approach work? Not on your life; COVID-19 is back and now NZ goes into Level 2 lockdown across the country and Level 3 in Auckland. The authorities say for a few days, we'll see, I'm not holding my breath.

So what's been going on? I can only give my own opinion about this; I believe community transmission has been around the whole time. This may even extend in some form, right back into last year - 2019. Why do I think this? One of the early casualties was an older person from a remote part of the country, someone who had not come into contact with many people, especially tourists. She was initially diagnosed with pneumonia and this was put down as the cause of death, only to have that revised and updated. It's highly likely there have been many cases like this that have gone unnoticed.

Then recently NZers have gone overseas, and were found to be carrying the virus when they arrived. How did they catch it? At least some of those must have caught the virus when in NZ, meaning community transmission was occurring, something NZers were told no longer existed.

NZ is going into an election campaign that will decide the country's future. It seems NZ's inexperienced and somewhat shallow Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern is using the Coronavirus to ensure reelection. That is being done through the timing of these lockdowns to coincide with the election campaign. NZers had a fairly clear indication this was coming; as soon as electioneering began in earnest, the government COVID-19 television advertisements began again. Then a few days before the latest lockdown announcement, talk of requiring the wearing of masks was all over the media. This, despite there being no community transmission according to official sources. In other words, NZers were being softened up.

Rather than announce policy, and debate the direction of the country, Ardern is using a fear campaign to ensure victory. This comes after she effectively bankrupted the country. 

Will people see sense and realise a change of government is needed? Maybe, but if they do not and NZ experiences another three years of Jacinda Ardern at the helm, that may spell the end of the country. It really is that serious. On the plus side, this Coronavirus does not appear that bad after all. You wouldn't want to catch it, but if you do, there is every chance you'll recover. But the panic associated with it is being used by politicians to further their own agendas.