New Zealand's Auckland starts second COVID-19 lockdown this month

By Lidia Kelly

 

FILE PHOTO: A rainbow appears on the Auckland skyline featuring Sky Tower in New Zealand, July 8, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Reed/File Photo

 

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Exactly one year after New Zealand recorded its first coronavirus case, the country's biggest city, Auckland, woke up on Sunday to a second lockdown this month as health authorities try to rein in a cluster of the more contagious UK variant.

 

The seven-day lockdown of the city of nearly 2 million, announced late Saturday by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, was prompted by the case of a person who had been infectious for a week but had not been in isolation.

 

"It is more than likely there will be additional cases in the community," Ardern told a televised news conference, although there were no new cases recorded on Sunday.

 

The lockdown follows a three-day stay-at-home order in mid-February after a local emergence of the UK variant of the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. There are now about 14 cases linked to the cluster.

 

"Despite our best efforts to date, recent cases have gone to work when they shouldn't have," Ardern said.

 

Judith Collins, leader of the opposition, called for tougher penalties against those not following public health advice around isolation. "No one wants to be yo-yoing in and out lockdown," Collins said in a statement.

 

The new lockdown, with Level 3 restrictions, allows people to leave home only for essential shopping and essential work. Public venues will remain closed. Restrictions in the rest of the country will be tightened to Level 2, including limits on public gatherings.

 

The measures have complicated several high-visibility sporting events planned in Auckland.

 

The organisers of the America's Cup yacht race said on Sunday the head-to-head final between Italy and New Zealand that was to start March 6 was postponed to at least March 10.

 

New Zealand's fourth Twenty20 International cricket match against Australia has been shifted to Wellington where it will be played behind closed doors on Friday.

 

Some social media users from around the world expressed dismay at the strong response that would lock down a large city over a single case, with one Twitter user writing, "They are insane."

 

However, swift public health measures often implemented in the past year, combined with aggressive contact tracing and border closure have been credited with making New Zealand highly successful in keeping the coronavirus pandemic from spreading.

 

New Zealand, with a population of 5 million, has recorded just over 2,000 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic and 26 deaths.

 

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Leslie Adler and William Mallard)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-28

 

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4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Some social media users from around the world expressed dismay at the strong response that would lock down a large city over a single case, with one Twitter user writing, "They are insane."

Ah huh...Dont think so...

 

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

However, swift public health measures often implemented in the past year, combined with aggressive contact tracing and border closure have been credited with making New Zealand highly successful in keeping the coronavirus pandemic from spreading.

Think the twitter user should stick to posting images of their breakfast on facilebook if that's the best they can come up with.

The zero COVID trap in action.

 

Thailand seems to have escaped it for now.

But.....but...Jacinda said they had eradicated the virus. Bloody liar.

3 hours ago, AndyFoxy said:

But.....but...Jacinda said they had eradicated the virus. Bloody liar.

At the outset I had respect for Jacinda. Now i have none, as she appears to be completely incapable of rational thought ???? 

Jacinda is just as bad as Dan Andrews in Victoria. Massive overkill with scant regard for so many people who pay the price for their grandstanding. Lockdown for a few cases is the height of incompetency - either of the "leader" or with their health system to reign in so few cases. Madness. Thais could teach them a lot.

Compare the approach of Gladys and her team in NSW. No scaremongering - pragmatic, confidence in the contact tracing and community common sense. The Northern Beaches cluster of over 100 was under control within a few weeks without any restrictions other than Northern Beaches lockdown (about 6% of the population of Sydney and where I am now). The rest of Sydney was able to go about it's business. Shortly after, Dan Andrews shut down all of Victoria (for the third time) for less than 20 cases and now Jacinda, for one or is it three?

Infuriating... and I'm a Covid realist, mask wearer and largely responsible for my own well being.

5 hours ago, Donga said:

Jacinda is just as bad as Dan Andrews in Victoria. Massive overkill with scant regard for so many people who pay the price for their grandstanding. Lockdown for a few cases is the height of incompetency - either of the "leader" or with their health system to reign in so few cases. Madness. Thais could teach them a lot.

Infuriating... and I'm a Covid realist, mask wearer and largely responsible for my own well being.

 

Bingo. Jacinda will describe a problem....and then Jacinda herself is always the solution. Worst Prime Minister in New Zealand in my lifetime, for sure.

 

2 hours ago, mstevens said:

 

Bingo. Jacinda will describe a problem....and then Jacinda herself is always the solution. Worst Prime Minister in New Zealand in my lifetime, for sure.

 

But the feminist-dominated media won’t dare criticise her. Agree.....worst PM in my lifetime.

Anyone who actually believes they can eradicate a virus needs to be checked into a facility for the insane

24 minutes ago, upu2 said:

Anyone who actually believes they can eradicate a virus needs to be checked into a facility for the insane

Oh, you mean like smallpox?

 

8 hours ago, Credo said:

Oh, you mean like smallpox?

 

Try the flu or the cold. Even smallpox has at time come back in isolated places. So stop talking rubbish and realise a virus mutates and as such makes it harder to combat

13 hours ago, mstevens said:

 

Bingo. Jacinda will describe a problem....and then Jacinda herself is always the solution. Worst Prime Minister in New Zealand in my lifetime, for sure.

 

But, but, but....You can’t say that as it is not being helpful nor kind. It’s not like the country can’t afford Cindy getting unhappy with us all and locking our wonderful team of five million down as Princess Cindy has those ever producing money trees in her magic garden to keep us all happy and content in drunken spree wonderment. I think you should join hands with your closest fellow Kiwis and sing a round of Kumbaya as penance for your unkind comment and rejoice that our wonderful world renowned leader has solved child providee, built 10,000 homes in no time to solve  the housing crisis, lowered house affordability, grown the NZ economy, unlocked the traffic chaos in Auckland, selling NZ country side to world polluters to plant monoculture pine in a sham carbon credit scheme etc etc. and all the time being the most kind PM we have ever had.....

7 hours ago, upu2 said:

Try the flu or the cold. Even smallpox has at time come back in isolated places. So stop talking rubbish and realise a virus mutates and as such makes it harder to combat

You might want to stop posting false information.  This is from the CDC:

 

Smallpox Virus

In 1980, the World Health Assembly declared smallpox eradicated (eliminated), and no cases of naturally occurring smallpox have happened since.

 

Smallpox | CDC

www.cdc.gov › smallpox

 

 

 

5 hours ago, Credo said:

You might want to stop posting false information.  This is from the CDC:

 

Smallpox Virus

In 1980, the World Health Assembly declared smallpox eradicated (eliminated), and no cases of naturally occurring smallpox have happened since.

 

Smallpox | CDC

www.cdc.gov › smallpox

 

 

 

Not false information. Try reading

On 2/28/2021 at 9:10 AM, ukrules said:

The zero COVID trap in action.

 

Thailand seems to have escaped it for now.

Will never achieve zero

Just in.... NZ to self Isolate for the next 25 years... 

Good on them. PM keeping citizens safe. 

On 3/1/2021 at 7:16 AM, mstevens said:

 

Bingo. Jacinda will describe a problem....and then Jacinda herself is always the solution. Worst Prime Minister in New Zealand in my lifetime, for sure.

 

You must be young then. However I'm far from an adhern supporter.

 

Meanwhile the peasants people are starting to mutter about the actions of the PM from what I hear on talkback radio.

 

Personally, I'm wondering when the great and good in charge start to realise that it's not a good idea to have arrivals in quarantine in Auckland. It was suggested long ago that building a quarantine facility in Ohakea air base would be a "good" idea, and I agree. Fly direct to Ohakea and quarantine everyone there.

Troll post removed.  

 

4 hours ago, Sujo said:

Good on them. PM keeping citizens safe. 

I believe her actions are over zealous.

 

In my very humble opinion, if I may be allowed such a thing, human beings should not be denied their liberty simply because it presents a relatively low risk.

8 hours ago, upu2 said:

Not false information. Try reading

I think you need to try reading.  There have been no outbreaks.  

 

41 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I believe her actions are over zealous.

 

In my very humble opinion, if I may be allowed such a thing, human beings should not be denied their liberty simply because it presents a relatively low risk.

The relatively low risk quickly becomes a high death toll if left to be.

On 2/28/2021 at 9:25 AM, rooster59 said:

health authorities try to rein in a cluster of the more contagious UK variant.

 

 

45 minutes ago, Sujo said:

The relatively low risk quickly becomes a high death toll if left to be.

 

And apart from a high death toll, if allowed to fester like in the UK, it then mutates into a more highly contagious strain, causing more unnecessary deaths, across the globe. 
New Zealand is now paying the price for Boris’ incompetence. Australia businesses have also suffered because of the UK strain. 
 

Thankyou Jacinta.