The NZ Government and opposition MPs are doing a great job managing the covid 19 pandemic?

The NZ Government response has controlled the covid19 outbreak but it comes at the cost of hundreds of thousands of jobs, and $25 billion government debt.

Did the NZ Government take advantage of distance, a dispersed and sparse population, and absolute control over our borders in a timely manner to manage the health and economic costs of covid 19?

The NZ Government response:

2 months to discover there is a NZ government pandemic strategy.

Plan for It (planning and preparedness)

3.5 months to come up with the 4 stage lockdown.  The government is still developing the detail as they go along.

Insufficient PPE, insufficient tests, insufficient flu vaccines available early, etc.

Keep It Out (border management)

Borders open to tourists until 15th March.   Many tourists reporting they walked in through the airport with no tests, no information, and no restrictions.  16th March, still relying on people coming on from overseas self isolating with no checks or support.

Stamp It Out (cluster control)

Requires testing, PPE, and contact tracing.  PPE shortages still reported by medical professionals and carers.  Still no surveillance testing

Manage It (pandemic management)

No plan for coming out of lockdown after 3 weeks of lockdown.

Manage It: Post-Peak (transition to recovery; planning for resurgence)

Nothing?

Recover from It (recovery).

Nothing?

And where was the opposition’s alternative plan?

David Seymour’s token initiative to reduce public servant income in line with the private sector prompted action from the government.  Imagine what a practical plan for managing the virus from the opposition at the start of February could have achieved.

 

What should the government and opposition mps have done and when to tackle the virus sooner and keep the economy working?

 

What should the NZ Government do now to minimize the economic fall out whilst preventing another outbreak?