3 ms·

Well it resulted in one of the lowest restrictions on people in any country besides international travel. Giving people freedom to meet people and work is good

ZephyrBlu 5y ago
We have strong restrictions relative to our COVID cases. Majority of the country has practically no cases, yet they are at the middle alert level rather than the lowest one. Auckland previously had a very strict lockdown based on very low case numbers relative to the rest of the world. Of course there is the argument that if we didn't have such restrictions we wouldn't have dealt with COVID as well, but even taking that into account I think the government has been very conservative.
- space_rock 5y ago
  One perspective to consider is the length of these restrictions. Other countries have had years of lockdowns and restrictions. New Zealanders were going to concerts while the world was in lockdown. Even if New Zealand's restrictions have been strict the restrictions have been intermittent and only in some regions
  - ZephyrBlu 5y ago
    This is true, but again I would compare restrictions relative to the severity of COVID outbreak. Other countries have much longer/stronger restrictions, but they have also had much more severe outbreaks. The government seems to be very slow to come around on changing their COVID strategy, especially given that the stakes are pretty low in NZ relative to other countries.
    - throwaway788 5y ago
      Isn’t the point to avoid severe outbreaks in the first place, and thereby not needing extensive periods of restrictions. I think the perfect time would be when effective oral anti-virals are readily available, they are just around the corner. The average daily cases are increasing and the 4th/5th wave (depending on location) is ramping up now - exactly the wrong time for a country like NZ to change international quarantine.

ZephyrBlu 5y ago

We have strong restrictions relative to our COVID cases. Majority of the country has practically no cases, yet they are at the middle alert level rather than the lowest one. Auckland previously had a very strict lockdown based on very low case numbers relative to the rest of the world. Of course there is the argument that if we didn't have such restrictions we wouldn't have dealt with COVID as well, but even taking that into account I think the government has been very conservative.

space_rock 5y ago
One perspective to consider is the length of these restrictions. Other countries have had years of lockdowns and restrictions. New Zealanders were going to concerts while the world was in lockdown. Even if New Zealand's restrictions have been strict the restrictions have been intermittent and only in some regions
- ZephyrBlu 5y ago
  This is true, but again I would compare restrictions relative to the severity of COVID outbreak. Other countries have much longer/stronger restrictions, but they have also had much more severe outbreaks. The government seems to be very slow to come around on changing their COVID strategy, especially given that the stakes are pretty low in NZ relative to other countries.
  - throwaway788 5y ago
    Isn’t the point to avoid severe outbreaks in the first place, and thereby not needing extensive periods of restrictions. I think the perfect time would be when effective oral anti-virals are readily available, they are just around the corner. The average daily cases are increasing and the 4th/5th wave (depending on location) is ramping up now - exactly the wrong time for a country like NZ to change international quarantine.