New Zealand eliminates COVID-19

[Orangesapples 1,954]

Here's another country that had a competent response:

 

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31097-7/fulltext

 

An aggressive approach has enabled New Zealand to end community transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Sophie Cousins reports.

New Zealand recorded its first day of no new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) early this week, more than a month after its strict lockdown began.

At the time of publication, New Zealand had recorded fewer than 1500 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 20 deaths. On March 23, a month after the country had recorded its first case, New Zealand committed to an elimination strategy. A few days later, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a strict national lockdown when it only had 102 cases and zero deaths. Her swift decision making won international praise, including from WHO.

New Zealand's decision to pursue an elimination approach was a vastly different approach to usual pandemic planning, which has historically been based on a mitigation model and focuses on delaying the arrival of the virus, followed by a range of measures to flatten the curve of cases and deaths.

 

“The two biggest benefits of pursuing an elimination strategy is that you have few cases and few deaths and you can get business back up and running. The alternative was that we are stuck with the virus and stuck between mitigation and suppression. Suppression is pretty grim.”

Baker said the full lockdown allowed the country to get key systems up and running to effectively manage borders, and do contact tracing, testing, and surveillance. Since Jan 22, more than 150 000 people have been tested in a country of just 5 million. Testing has been focused on people with symptoms, with tracing of both close contacts and casual contacts. However, more widespread testing is now being introduced. The Ministry of Health is in discussion with districts to arrange testing of specific communities who are at higher risk of acquiring the virus such as those in aged residential care and health-care workers. Testing samples from sewerage is also being considered to monitor control and elimination.

[Orangesapples 1,954]

Also pay attention to this part:

 

But in epidemiological terms, it means bringing cases down to zero or near zero in a geographical location. We will still see cases…but only cases in people who have arrived from overseas.” Travellers from abroad will be quarantined as part of efforts to prevent transmission in New Zealand.

[Ban Hammer 13,551]

i'm sure being an island off the beaten path had something to do with it.

[Orangesapples 1,954]

Of course, there are always excuses for why the US has been a complete disaster while other countries did it right. It can't be that leadership in the US is incompetent, no, the dear leader is always great! 

[Ban Hammer 13,551]

3 minutes ago, Orangesapples said:

Of course, there are always excuses for why the US has been a complete disaster while other countries did it right. It can't be that leadership in the US is incompetent, no, the dear leader is always great! 

population 4.841 million
an island
yeah, totally the same as the usa.

[Burnt Reynolds 5,058]

Just now, Ban Hammer said:

population 4.841 million
an island
yeah, totally the same as the usa.

hah

 

"The US leadership is terrible because these small countries, communist countries, and islands are containing the virus better with the kind of authoritarianism we can only dream of!"

 

I really hope this lunacy holds through November. It's looking very good for Trump. 

[Orangesapples 1,954]

Yeah, sure, the US did nothing wrong! It's not a communist contry, the people are free to die here. 

 

New Zealand is a remarkable success. And they're doing the dreaded quarantine of travelers that "communist" Vietnam is doing. I guess they're just not free. 

Edited May 15, 2020 by Orangesapples

[TBoneTX 46,123]

10 hours ago, Ban Hammer said:

yeah, totally the same as the usa

Sounds like a comparison of, uh, oranges and apples.

[Orangesapples 1,954]

New Zealand is looking for a travel agreement with Australia, another country that's doing well.