06/08/2020 - 10:17
- Clarín.com
- World
"Today, 75 days later, we are ready" for a return to normality. With this phrase the Prime Minister of New Zealand , Jacinda Ardern , announced that her country has eradicated the coronavirus "for now", with the recovery of the last recorded case of Covid-19 . This unrestricted return to life (social distancing is not even required, rather recommended) is not accidental. Behind there is enormous effort, management, leadership ... Here, the step by step of a successful strategy.
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Watch the specialStrict confinement
New Zealand, which to date confirmed 1,154 infected and including 22 dead, is one of the first countries to return to normal. But this was one of the first nations that rushed judiciously to take the most stringent containment measures.
It entered a "national emergency" on March 25 when there were only 50 infected . Restriction measures, one of the strictest implemented in the world, have allowed the country to control the spread of the virus.
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Geographic situation
New Zealand, with 5 million inhabitants, also has a privileged geographical situation that has helped control the virus in its territory.
Its isolated location in the South Pacific gave it vital time to see how outbreaks occurred in other countries.
So the only thing New Zealand is not allowing now is the opening of borders.
The government will focus on controlling the country's borders, where isolation and quarantines for newcomers will be maintained.
Still, he is considering launching an air “bubble” with Australia, although that is not dated.
Management and leadership
Ardern's management and leadership skills were also key.
From the beginning, she was included in the "club" of women leaders who best carried out the epidemic.
"Ardern's success is the latest data point in a widely-noted trend: Women-ruled countries appear to be particularly successful in fighting coronavirus," wrote The New York Times.
Ardern acted decisively by imposing strict confinement at the beginning of the pandemic, which involved an enormous effort on the part of society at large, which complied with the measures.
Confinement on 4 levels
His government designed a new four-stage alert system, which started with the closure of most businesses, all schools, and with people in their homes. This was level 4.
After more than five weeks, he moved to level three in April, allowing for the reopening of takeout businesses and some nonessential businesses.
As the number of community cases continued to decline, the country rose to level two in mid-May.
The move to level one came prematurely: the government originally intended to make the move on June 22, but it was filed earlier after no new cases were reported for 17 days. The news that the last contagion had recovered, it was announced that the virus had been eradicated, but with a warning: "for now"
"New normal"
One of the key aspects of this "new normal" in New Zealand is the use of a QR code that must be scanned with the phone at the entrance and exit of businesses and allows authorities to quickly track if a new outbreak arises.
But beyond staying alert because they understand that the virus will reappear at some point, probably through the importation of cases, the new normal in the country has practically no restrictions.
Thus the public acts return without limitations. Private events such as weddings, functions and funerals also return without limitations.
Retail is also back without limitations. Just like hospitality.
Public transportation and travel across the country are fully open.
Super Rugby
Even, the public will be able to access the New Zealand stadiums next Saturday, when the Super Rugby championship resumes, for now, in local version.
This competition is a reduced version of Super Rugby in which teams from New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Argentina and Japan faced each other before the premature suspension in March due to the coronavirus epidemic.
With information from AFP, AP, La Vanguardia and BBC News
