What if we're treating this coronavirus the wrong way?
The Guardian is praising New Zealand’s plan for dealing with the coronavirus. Which is all most interesting as it involves something that The Guardian would normally be entirely against:
Elimination: what New Zealand’s coronavirus response can teach the world
New Zealand’s drive against Covid-19 is showing promise and it is not too late for other countries to follow
OK, cool, what is it?
New Zealand now appears to be the only “western” nation following an articulated elimination strategy with the goal of completely ending transmission of Covid-19 within its borders. The strategy appears to be working, with new case numbers falling. Most cases are now returning travellers, who are safely quarantined at the borders,
Oh, right, firm control of the borders and strict enforcement of the right – or not right – to cross said borders.
Exactly what we’re told is not allowable in any other circumstances. Odd how these moral precepts about the free movement of people and all that are so flexible, isn’t it?
The language we use matters - it provides clarity to our own thoughts and enables…
It is now generally acknowledged that the structure of the NHS needs to be overhauled…
In the film Apollo 13, a loss of oxygen causes the crew to start inadvertently…
There's an idea out there which seems intuitive but then so many ideas do seem…
When we think about the darkly opaque goals of modern central bankers as they relate…
As the papers recently filled with the distressing images of desperate souls looking to escape…
View Comments
If course NZ will have to keep this policy in place permanently- unless its population acquires herd immunity. Could be a long wait for a vaccine.
If a vaccine comes early, Jacinda will have played a blinder.
If it comes late, we are in poo up to our necks.
Nearly 10% of NZ work in tourism. Many of our firms also operate in Australia. China is a major trading partner. We have a population with half of everybody having close overseas relatives. We export a lot by air.
We cannot live with closed borders.
But it is funny to see US progressives talking our scheme up when Trump's wall has but nothing on our super moat.
Can I just point out that nearly 10% of NZ'ers used to work in tourism.
New Zealand is reporting around 50 new cases a day and is in lock down. Presumably this needs some enforcement as the NZ government has determined that its people are not educated or concerned enough to mitigate the spread voluntarily. How is that a successful society? The last time the UK had 50 cases in a day Premier League football and other fun activities took place. Ok, not really comparable due to population and testing sizes.
The Guardian may favor open borders but aren't they generally opposed to travel, especially vacation travel if it requires flying?
I think they are opposed to both closing borders and crossing them.
The Guardian is opposed to nearly all that has merit, which is probably why few, excepting the BBC and the NHS, buy it.
NZ has the huge advantage for this purpose that it is an island (OK, two large islands). So is the UK, but separated from the continent by 20 miles, not 2,500 miles.
Plus we already had quite strict immigration rules. There are very few illegal immigrants in NZ. And most of those are Pacific Islanders staying a bit.
Never seen a lefty worried by trashing economy. However I have seen normally reliable financial commentators disagreeing with Tims favorite bogeyman, the myth of free money created by central banks. That bothers me more than the virus. For record, I am in one of the more vulnerable groups.
I digress. About borders. I note the Oz ABC reporting on local luvvies concerned the illegals are not getting the free cash handouts. As noted elsewhere, the sudden cessation of moaning about those naughty countries blocking uncontrolled border crossing is a small upside of current situation.