International media reacts in disbelief after UK pair upset NZ's COVID-free status

[Dawnofhope]

New Zealand’s 24 day run of no new Covid 19 cases has come to an end.

International media has jumped on the story after New Zealand's 24-day run as coronavirus-free was ended this week.

Two infected women were allowed into the country from the United Kingdom earlier this month but were then allowed to roam from their managed isolation in Auckland last week after they were given compassionate leave to attend a funeral in Wellington.

In New Zealand media, National leader Todd Muller is calling for "clumsy and incompetent" Health Minister Dr David Clark to be sacked while Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the women have done nothing wrong and don't deserve blame.

UK-based media haven't been so kind to the pair and have been quick to point out the cases came from the UK.

The Sun led with the headline 'New Zealand has first coronavirus cases in 24 days after two travellers from UK enter country....one of whom hid symptoms'.

'UK cocking it up again': International media reacts in disbelief after UK pair upset NZ's COVID-free status

New Zealand will be redoubling our efforts to tightly regulate our border.

 

[VoidoftheSun]

My immediate reaction is:

Damn it sucks, NZ was doing utterly brilliant though

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Damn it sucks, NZ was doing utterly brilliant though

They still are.
I haven't read enough into it all to comment on the National's leader point scoring (or otherwise) on this. But I don't think this should be seen as anything other than a normal consequence of human behaviour which they've identified, and are dealing with.

Obviously this could impact on their timings around opening things up to those lovely folk in Australia who would like to come over and drink wholesome NZ beer, which is somewhat annoying.

 

[gnomon]

Well.......at least they are not at Florida levels. Or the Carolinas. Or Tennessee. Or Alabama. Or my own State.....Georgia.

New Zealand has been absolutely brilliant compared to the Southeast US.

 

[sun rise]

China imposes a servere lockdown for 100 cases. Some people and states in the USA don't care how many get sick and die.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Well.......at least they are not at Florida levels. Or the Carolinas. Or Tennessee. Or Alabama. Or my own State.....Georgia.

New Zealand has been absolutely brilliant compared to the Southeast US.

New Zealand has been brilliant compared to pretty much the entire US from what I can see. Here in California the general trend is still going upwards, and the county I'm in is often adding over 100 cases a day, averaging about over 50 a day over the past two weeks.

 

[Kapalika]

Even in that case, couldn't they just have everyone that went to the funeral isolate and take tests afterwards? Or take certain precautions? I don't see in of itself what was wrong but I didn't read all the details of how it went down.

New Zealand has been brilliant compared to pretty much the entire US from what I can see. Here in California the general trend is still going upwards, and the county I'm in is often adding over 100 cases a day, averaging about over 50 a day over the past two weeks.

Here in Kern, we had 150 cases like 2 days ago. We got an "F" rating on social distancing and work is like a landmine that people pretend isn't there.

That's why I was against California opening, it was too soon and we are seeing surging cases.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Even in that case, couldn't they just have everyone that went to the funeral isolate and take tests afterwards? Or take certain precautions? I don't see in of itself what was wrong but I didn't read all the details of how it went down.



Here in Kern, we had 150 cases like 2 days ago. We got an "F" rating on social distancing and work is like a landmine that people pretend isn't there.

That's why I was against California opening, it was too soon and we are seeing surging cases.

I saw last time I was in Bakersfield. Throngs and hordes of pudding brains! Everywhere! At this point I'd pay the extra to live in LA county just to live where the distancing and mask wearing in public is mandatory.
And we're really not seeing a surge here, but the same initial wave that hasn't actually subsided. The state was basically closed down for nothing. Because people only think about "me" and what "I" want and all these they claim they have that don't actually exist. People blame the protests, but at least around here the public had a collective dumbass attack around Memorial Day and gave up on safety measures.

 

[Dawnofhope]

They still are.
I haven't read enough into it all to comment on the National's leader point scoring (or otherwise) on this. But I don't think this should be seen as anything other than a normal consequence of human behaviour which they've identified, and are dealing with.

Obviously this could impact on their timings around opening things up to those lovely folk in Australia who would like to come over and drink wholesome NZ beer, which is somewhat annoying.

Were business as usual in NZ apart from the borders. No social restrictions or distancing. We’ve been waiting for Australia to be Covid free so we can have a trans Tasman bubble.

Our Prime Minister has become so popular that the opposition party changed leaders with a coup two weeks ago. There’s less than 100 days to go until our election so Todd Mullen is trying to reverse the trend. The last opinion poll had the National party 26 points behind the governing Labour Party.

New poll: National at 29 percent, Labour has best result ever

The response to this breach of border control has been to ask the military to provide oversight to our quarantine procedures to ensure protocols are rigorously followed.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Our Prime Minister has become so popular that the opposition party changed leaders with a coup two weeks ago. There’s less than 100 days to go until our election so Todd Mullen is trying to reverse the trend. The last opinion poll had the National party 26 points behind the governing Labour Party.

Her opponent should just give up now. All the PM has to do is point out her leadership conquered covid and was the total opposite Trump, and I just don't see anyone being able to beat that in an election only a few months out.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Were business as usual in NZ apart from the borders. No social restrictions or distancing. We’ve been waiting for Australia to be Covid free so we can have a trans Tasman bubble.

Our Prime Minister has become so popular that the opposition party changed leaders with a coup two weeks ago. There’s less than 100 days to go until our election so Todd Mullen is trying to reverse the trend. The last opinion poll had the National party 26 points behind the governing Labour Party.

New poll: National at 29 percent, Labour has best result ever

The response to this breach of border control has been to ask the military to provide oversight to our quarantine procedures to ensure protocols are rigorously followed.

If Jacinda Ardern moved over here and competed in our next election, she'd win that too.
Not even joking.

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has highest ‘Net Trust Score’ of all political leaders while Australian PM Scott Morrison has a ‘Net Distrust Score’ to overcome

 

[Shadow Wolf]

If Jacinda Ardern moved over here and competed in our next election, she'd win that too.
Not even joking.

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has highest ‘Net Trust Score’ of all political leaders while Australian PM Scott Morrison has a ‘Net Distrust Score’ to overcome

Move to Canada or move to NZ? Either one though is a bastion of reason and sanity next to America.

 

[Dawnofhope]

Her opponent should just give up now. All the PM has to do is point out her leadership conquered covid and was the total opposite Trump, and I just don't see anyone being able to beat that in an election only a few months out.

The opposition party had a few points ahead in polls in the months leading up the pandemic.

Opinion polling for the 2020 New Zealand general election - Wikipedia

Jacinda Adern responds extremely well to crises and we have seen that with the Christchurch Mosque Shootings March last year, the While Island volcanic eruption and now the coronavirus. The National Party has now taken the approach of praising the government for its handling of the virus but promoting itself as being the best party to lead the economic recovery. The gap is expected to narrow as the election draws closer.

Ironically with the border lapse, its a reminder of how dire the pandemic really is and how fortunate we are to have eradicated it while many countries are far from having any meaningful control of the situation. After 24 days of no new cases and life having returned to normal its easy to become complacent.

 

[Dawnofhope]

If Jacinda Ardern moved over here and competed in our next election, she'd win that too.
Not even joking.

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has highest ‘Net Trust Score’ of all political leaders while Australian PM Scott Morrison has a ‘Net Distrust Score’ to overcome

I knew Scott Morrison had been criticised for his handing of the Australian bushfires but didn't realise what a polarising figure he's become.

Australia have actually done very well through this pandemic, though elimination looks a way off.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

but promoting itself as being the best party to lead the economic recovery.

Prioritizing that now is not worth it. At all. Here, we never really even got out of the first wave and have had a steady rise in cases. Anymore, it's basically almost all normal with just a few freaks running around with masks on. And, as predictable, there are many days we add over 100 cases.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Move to Canada or move to NZ? Either one though is a bastion of reason and sanity next to America.

Awww...surely we get on the sane list at least?

I've worked in 4 countries. Australia, NZ and Sweden all count as relatively sane.
Papua New Guinea is bat guano bonkers.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I knew Scott Morrison had been criticised for his handing of the Australian bushfires but didn't realise what a polarising figure he's become.

Australia have actually done very well through this pandemic, though elimination looks a way off.

The timing of the poll counts. His handling of the bushfires was horrendous. He hasn't been perfect on COVID (too much confusing messaging on things that actually differed from state to state) but I think most here would say he's done a decent job.

Certainly his approval ratings are up now. Lack of credible opposition always helps with that...lol

I think there are some fundamental issues with his style of government, but even I would give him a pass on COVID at this time.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Were business as usual in NZ apart from the borders. No social restrictions or distancing. We’ve been waiting for Australia to be Covid free so we can have a trans Tasman bubble.

Our Prime Minister has become so popular that the opposition party changed leaders with a coup two weeks ago. There’s less than 100 days to go until our election so Todd Mullen is trying to reverse the trend. The last opinion poll had the National party 26 points behind the governing Labour Party.

New poll: National at 29 percent, Labour has best result ever

The response to this breach of border control has been to ask the military to provide oversight to our quarantine procedures to ensure protocols are rigorously followed.

Btw...I resisted the urge to ask if you were deploying all three soldiers in the NZ Army to oversee the borders.

This is as a mark of respect for our common ANZAC heritage, and because I'm waaaaaay more mature these days.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Awww...surely we get on the sane list at least?

I've worked in 4 countries. Australia, NZ and Sweden all count as relatively sane.
Papua New Guinea is bat guano bonkers.

Australia wouldn't be bad either. But almost anywhere that has stepped into the 21st century would be better.

 

[exchemist]

New Zealand’s 24 day run of no new Covid 19 cases has come to an end.

International media has jumped on the story after New Zealand's 24-day run as coronavirus-free was ended this week.

Two infected women were allowed into the country from the United Kingdom earlier this month but were then allowed to roam from their managed isolation in Auckland last week after they were given compassionate leave to attend a funeral in Wellington.

In New Zealand media, National leader Todd Muller is calling for "clumsy and incompetent" Health Minister Dr David Clark to be sacked while Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the women have done nothing wrong and don't deserve blame.

UK-based media haven't been so kind to the pair and have been quick to point out the cases came from the UK.

The Sun led with the headline 'New Zealand has first coronavirus cases in 24 days after two travellers from UK enter country....one of whom hid symptoms'.

'UK cocking it up again': International media reacts in disbelief after UK pair upset NZ's COVID-free status

New Zealand will be redoubling our efforts to tightly regulate our border.

This was always going to happen. It is why NZ has the mandatory quarantine procedure for new arrivals. What beats me is why these people were not tested before being allowed compassionate leave to travel (to see a dying relative, I gather). Then if they were +ve they could have at least been given PPE to wear and transported as "radioactive", to avoid them passing it on.

But one hopes the NZ track and trace system will identify, isolate and test all their contacts. The country is going to need to keep that system in a state of readiness until a vaccine arrives - assuming an effective vaccine is possible.