Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently described having at least 90 per cent of the country vaccinated as a "golden ticket" which would mean no, or less restrictive lockdowns in future. NZ Herald's Claire Trevett sits down to discuss what a 90 per cent-plus vaccination rate could look like for New Zealand. Video / Mark Mitchell
Could you do a better job at managing the Covid-19 pandemic than Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern?
Now, you get to do just that - after a website that gives you the chance to be New Zealand Prime Minister and lead the country through the Covid-19 pandemic was created.
The website, named Kia Ora Mr Wills, gives Kiwis the chance to choose their own adventure and pathway through the Covid-19 crisis, where each answer and direction you take has consequences, both good and bad.
"You are now the Prime Minister of Aotearoa New Zealand. You are responsible with leading us through the Covid-19 Pandemic," the game states.
"Will you choose freedom or tyranny? Will you choose to let people live or die? Will you choose to give people what they want? It's all up to you," he first page of the website shows.
The game also highlights a number of Covid-19 rule breaches that occurred in real life.
You then click on the link and it takes you to a series of questions in which you need to pick an answer to.
In the adventure, you are taken to your daily 1pm briefings where you are given the daily case numbers, now many total cases and the percentage of vaccinated Kiwis, as well as deaths.
"Papa Bloomfield" and your advisors then update you with "super cool stats" to help guide you in which direction to take.
At the first press conference you are asked to pick one of the following options: "Give Aucklanders picnics, send all of NZ into level 4, stay the course, or open up everything for freedom."
You have a decision to make, and they all have consequences.
What you choose will determine how many cases you are dealing with each day.
You are asked about your stance on vaccine passports, whether students should head to school, changing alert levels, and how to deal with the South Island wanting to create its own republic, among other vital questions.
'Papa Bloomfield' gives you a series of 'super cool stats' to base your decisions off.
Towards the end of your run as Prime Minister, different sectors of the country are angry at your decisions and you need to decide how to best manage the response and your popularity.
As Christmas approaches, and case numbers are rising, you have to make a tough decision about whether you ban Christmas or let it go ahead as normal.
Depending on your road map, you can either save lives, or see multiple deaths every day.
You decided to have Christmas as normal. But not everyone is happy.
If you choose a relatively relaxed approach to the pandemic, you could be left with update of 11,000 deaths each day.
By the end of your adventure as Prime Minister you are forced to resign, where you are asked whether you plan to go our swinging or without a fight.
After being thrown out of the Beehive, big news breaks that Suzy Cato is now the Prime Minister and New Zealand is at alert level 5.
As Prime Minister you face a difficult balancing act of saving lives, but giving people's freedoms back.
The game's creator, Peter, used the interactive game as a way to engage Kiwis and thank those who have had a hand in our Covid-19 response.
"Thanks to all the great researchers who do amazing science communication, epidemiology, and statistical modelling," he wrote.
"Thanks to all essential workers. You deserve to be paid well.
"Thanks to the politicians and civil servants who have had to make some incredibly tough decisions over the last year.
"Thanks to the journalists for holding our systems to account.
"Thanks to all teachers, students, and principals. Online learning sucks."
The game finishes off with the line: "Would you like to redo your time in charge? Maybe you'll do better this time. It always looks easier with hindsight."
The game also has a link to the research of Te Pūnaha Matatini modellers Steyn, Plank, and Hendy, as well as an explanation of what R-value is, a term often used by Ashley Bloomfield.
