PM Jacinda Ardern says New Zealand can take heart from there being no new coronavirus cases today. But she says it reflects the success of the lockdown rather than actions during level three.
COMMENT
At the moment the news about the virus in this country is positive. On Monday, zero new cases were announced and the PM's fiancée was out on Twitter espousing analogies about the All Blacks and the last 20 minute surge to victory.
If only it were that simple, asit was also reported that thousands of people on the weekend were visited by police for breaking social distancing protocols.
And that number could include thousands of others who weren't dobbed in by their neighbours. "If only these people knew the risk they were taking," a friend of mine said – in the context of a situation where extended level 3 lockdown could see some businesses move from difficult to strife.
But, as much as it angers people like me who have followed the rules to the letter, it is difficult to point the finger at anyone when the messaging has been that we were aiming to 'eliminate' the virus and more recently that it had been eliminated (or we were well on our way towards that).
I have already written to the owners of Liverpool FC telling them the good news that 'elimination' from the lucrative Champions League (or any other competition for that matter) actually, in NZ, means that they can come back at any time and have another go. I look forward to their relocation to Cooks Gardens.
All bad attempts at humour aside, there are serious consequential implications of both level 4 and 3 and I am growing concerned that the plan for our next steps hasn't at least started to be discussed publicly.
This being a week on from my last article which hoped for a well-articulated plan which considered the next phases of a multifaceted risk environment. We are less than a week away from announcing level 2 or more of 3.
Assuming that I have more than a handful of readers and also that some may have connections to decision makers or those that hold them to account, here is a component of a wider strategy which I suggest should be implemented next week (particularly if there is concern in some regions of clusters and community spread).
Regions with low (or no) case numbers should be allowed to commence their own 'Level 2 Bubble'.
Sure, being based in Whanganui / Manawatū I have an in-built bias and I am seeing first hand businesses who are doing well and others who are struggling, but the economic challenges which face the country in the world grow with every day lockdown continues.
These challenges are far reaching, dynamically developing and could generate future harm to people and families.
Assuming that the testing and tracking systems are "gold standard" like we are being officially told and that the DHBs have used the last six weeks to prepare appropriately the mitigations should be there to enable Whanganui / Manawatū to move to level 2 now.
Assuming, again, that what people can and cannot do in level 2 is precisely defined and those at risk are kept safe, the 'spread' risk could be managed locally.
Also police can be given resources and support to ensure that compliance with level 2 could be sustained on a regional basis and that travellers stay in their regional bubbles. In addition local support networks in the community could acquire targeted resourcing via Government (rather than 'helicopter' payments which are being bandied about) to support local compliance and keeping people safe.
I note that on social media some arguments against this bring out the "we are all in this together" mantra, but the fact is becoming clear that the impact on sections of the community is vastly different – some being pretty much unaffected and others (like 'non-essential' retailers, service providers and suppliers to them for example) are dealing with financial deficits not contemplated even weeks ago.
So, to give regions like Whanganui / Manawatū, their people and the economy a positive boost, creating regional bubbles presents an opportunity which should be seriously considered, especially if the Government has concerns elsewhere.
