New Zealand admitted on Sunday, August 22 that its zero Covid strategy was threatened by the coronavirus pandemic due to the Delta variant.
“The [Delta] It’s different from anything we have known since the pandemic began.”Chris Hipkins, the minister responsible for fighting Covid-19, argued. “This changes everything, which means that all of our existing measures do not seem to be appropriate, and it casts doubt on the future of our long-term strategy.”, He added.
He reported 21 new cases related to the outbreak that broke out in Auckland last week. The first case of contamination from a local source in six months has led to a national containment. Mr. Shipkins said this outbreak is more difficult to control than previous outbreaks because the delta variant is more contagious.
“Although we have taken the best preventive measures in the world, its high infectivity and the speed of the virus spread put pressure on our system”, He has no statement.
The slow and criticized vaccination campaign
New Zealand has been praised abroad for its effective management of the Covid-19 epidemic, which has so far caused only 26 deaths in a population of 5 million. The archipelago has implemented strict border controls and ordered confinement immediately after the local cases appeared.Neighboring Australia is also pursuing a goal “Zero Epidemic”Since mid-June, it has been affected by the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus cases related to the Delta variant.
In New Zealand, the epidemic has highlighted the slowness of the vaccination campaign, and some critics have criticized the government for laxity. Only 20% of the population is fully vaccinated, which is one of the countries with the lowest vaccination rate among developed countries.
National Party spokesperson Chris Bishop said that the new pandemic shows that the government has deficiencies in immunization, especially due to supply difficulties.
Mr. Hipkins emphasized that elimination is still the top priority, as the current number of new cases is 71, including 65 in Auckland and 6 in Wellington.
The national lockdown will end on Tuesday night, but Mr. Hipkins said that even if it is lifted elsewhere, Auckland may face further restrictions.
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