There are 35 new cases of Covid-19 in the New Zealand community to confirm today. Of these 33 are in Auckland and two are in Wellington. Video / NZ Herald
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the elimination strategy has worked before, and she believes it remains the right thing for New Zealand as the country tackles a Delta outbreak.
Ardern said the "go hard, go early" strategy was short and sharp compared to the rest of the world and she stands behind the strategy.
"We can only look at what's best for us and we know an elimination strategy has worked for New Zealand before," Ardern said.
But as a new variant of the virus has emerged, Ardern says the Covid-19 elimination strategy will change.
"As this virus changed, we have too," Ardern said.
Ardern said the advice of the Skegg group had taken account of Delta. But it would depend on expert advice when the roadmap might start, and whether there would be some tolerance for Covid in the community once vaccination rates were high.
Earlier this month Ardern set out a plan to start reopening the borders, starting with a trial this year of home isolation or shorter MIQ stays for selected travellers.
The plan to re-open the border.
The continuation of New Zealand's vaccination programme is what Ardern believes will "lessen the need" for future lockdowns.
"Now, elimination is the strategy absolutely, particularly while we vaccinate our people," Ardern said.
Thirty-five new cases of Covid-19 in the New Zealand community were confirmed today, 33 in Auckland and two in Wellington.
This brings the total number in the community to 107. Of these, 99 are in Auckland and eight are in Wellington.
When the country entered a nationwide lockdown last week, many media outlets across the world questioned the Government's decision.
A New York Times' headline read: "New Zealand to begin a three-day lockdown after a single case is reported."
A CNN headline said: "New Zealand announces it's locking down the entire country ... over one Covid case".
UK far-right politician Nigel Farage weighed in on our lockdown on Twitter, saying "Jacinda Ardern has lost her marbles" and labelling New Zealand "the land of panic".
Jacinda Ardern has lost her marbles.
New Zealand goes into full lockdown after a single Covid case.
At 7pm on @GBNEWS we will go live to the land of panic. 🇳🇿
But Ardern acknowledged the elimination strategy meant we had a number of months when the country was not under any type of restrictions.
"For now, the elimination strategy is the right thing for New Zealand, it means getting those cases back down to a point were we can remove our restrictions again," she said.
On Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's target of re-opening borders after the 70-80 per cent vaccination rate target and whether that would affect the transtasman bubble, Ardern said that would not happen while New Zealand was still vaccinating.
Morrison recently said Australians must not continue to live in fear of Covid-19 but a major age group could be the thorn in the prime minister's plan to reopen the nation.
"The national plan we have developed and agreed is our pathway to living with this virus," the Prime Minister said on Monday.
"That is our goal, to live with this virus, not to live in fear of it. It is a plan based on the best possible scientific, medical and economic advice."
But the targets do not include children, raising concerns kids could be left behind as the country reopens.
