NZ needs to be better prepared for Omicron
The government needs to be better prepared for the eventual arrival of the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus onshore than it was for the Delta variant in August this year.
There is no doubt that the government was caught unprepared for the inevitable arrival of the Delta virus and its spread in the community in August this year forcing Auckland (and the rest of the country) into one of the longest and strictest lockdowns anywhere in the world – a situation that has broken the backbone of small businesses sector forcing livelihoods, jobs, and financial freedoms at stake.
Such is the fall-out of the zero or reduced commercial activity resulting from the long lockdown that small businesses, particularly the hospitality sector in Auckland, which has struggled even in the first week of traffic light system and is already appealing to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to consider moving Auckland to Orange light today for the remainder of Christmas season despite cautious approach from experts.
Ardern is already between a rock and a hard place ahead of the 4 pm announcement today and has so far not given away any suggestion which way the cabinet will eventually decide about Auckland's freedom.
Ardern said New Zealand is still transitioning into the new Covid protection framework, and there has not yet been a full transmission cycle of 14 days since the change was made.
"As we're easing, just making sure that we've seen the full impact of that easing, we only eased on the third, so we haven't seen a full transmission cycle yet, and that's something you'll remember we've always used as a bit of a guide to show us what the likely impact of a step change is."
While the country remains focused on today's upcoming announcement, it is pertinent to remind that the government does not loses focus on being prepared for the eventual arrival of the Omicron virus onshore and ensuring the country does not have to huddle down to let the infection wave pass through.
The last time when Delta arrived onshore in August, the country was solely and overly relying on closed borders (which has been closed for the last 18 months), leaving aside both the vaccination rates (abysmally low at around 40 percent single dose) and extremely low number of ICU beds across the country.
In the last few months of hunkering down under a strict lockdown, New Zealanders have shown exemplary spirit and courage to turn up for vaccination and help a beleaguered government in its collective response to managing the Delta outbreak and increase the vaccination rate.
However, the government should not always rely on the generosity of New Zealanders without being innovative and leading the charge itself.
Undoubtedly, the patience of New Zealanders is running thin with the government, particularly those who are bearing the maximum brunt of the government's huddle-down approach, in the form of family separation by closed and restricted borders, archaic MIQ system, and financial indebtedness because of prolonged commercial restriction.
As of now, Ardern can easily shrug off the new Leader of Opposition Chris Luxon's first question in Parliament about the shambolic preparation of the number of ICU beds, largely because of National Party's own credibility issue with the Kiwi public, but the question remains of utmost significance.
NZ needs to be better prepared for the Omicron variant of Covid-virus that is rampant in many countries overseas forcing Australia and the United Kingdom to bring forward their respective booster doses.
Both countries have shown urgency to bring forward booster doses by one month in response to rising numbers of Omicron variant infections.
NZ is comfortably placed right now in terms of booster doses, which are already available to eligible people from November 29, but that was long before the emergence of Omicron on the scene.
What has NZ done differently since the emergence of Omicron?
Basking in the glory of a 90 percent vaccination rate that has come at a huge cost of putting the country at a standstill under a strict lockdown should not be accepted as a cost-effective response.
Similarly, the government should not be wasting the lead time that New Zealand always gets because of its remoteness and forced closed borders with the rest of the world in self-adulation.
More work is required to be better prepared before Omicron eventually finds way into our community.
The government needs to be better prepared for the eventual arrival of the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus onshore than it was for the Delta variant in August this year.
There is no doubt that the government was caught unprepared for the inevitable arrival of the Delta virus and its spread in...
The government needs to be better prepared for the eventual arrival of the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus onshore than it was for the Delta variant in August this year.
There is no doubt that the government was caught unprepared for the inevitable arrival of the Delta virus and its spread in the community in August this year forcing Auckland (and the rest of the country) into one of the longest and strictest lockdowns anywhere in the world – a situation that has broken the backbone of small businesses sector forcing livelihoods, jobs, and financial freedoms at stake.
Such is the fall-out of the zero or reduced commercial activity resulting from the long lockdown that small businesses, particularly the hospitality sector in Auckland, which has struggled even in the first week of traffic light system and is already appealing to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to consider moving Auckland to Orange light today for the remainder of Christmas season despite cautious approach from experts.
Ardern is already between a rock and a hard place ahead of the 4 pm announcement today and has so far not given away any suggestion which way the cabinet will eventually decide about Auckland's freedom.
Ardern said New Zealand is still transitioning into the new Covid protection framework, and there has not yet been a full transmission cycle of 14 days since the change was made.
"As we're easing, just making sure that we've seen the full impact of that easing, we only eased on the third, so we haven't seen a full transmission cycle yet, and that's something you'll remember we've always used as a bit of a guide to show us what the likely impact of a step change is."
While the country remains focused on today's upcoming announcement, it is pertinent to remind that the government does not loses focus on being prepared for the eventual arrival of the Omicron virus onshore and ensuring the country does not have to huddle down to let the infection wave pass through.
The last time when Delta arrived onshore in August, the country was solely and overly relying on closed borders (which has been closed for the last 18 months), leaving aside both the vaccination rates (abysmally low at around 40 percent single dose) and extremely low number of ICU beds across the country.
In the last few months of hunkering down under a strict lockdown, New Zealanders have shown exemplary spirit and courage to turn up for vaccination and help a beleaguered government in its collective response to managing the Delta outbreak and increase the vaccination rate.
However, the government should not always rely on the generosity of New Zealanders without being innovative and leading the charge itself.
Undoubtedly, the patience of New Zealanders is running thin with the government, particularly those who are bearing the maximum brunt of the government's huddle-down approach, in the form of family separation by closed and restricted borders, archaic MIQ system, and financial indebtedness because of prolonged commercial restriction.
As of now, Ardern can easily shrug off the new Leader of Opposition Chris Luxon's first question in Parliament about the shambolic preparation of the number of ICU beds, largely because of National Party's own credibility issue with the Kiwi public, but the question remains of utmost significance.
NZ needs to be better prepared for the Omicron variant of Covid-virus that is rampant in many countries overseas forcing Australia and the United Kingdom to bring forward their respective booster doses.
Both countries have shown urgency to bring forward booster doses by one month in response to rising numbers of Omicron variant infections.
NZ is comfortably placed right now in terms of booster doses, which are already available to eligible people from November 29, but that was long before the emergence of Omicron on the scene.
What has NZ done differently since the emergence of Omicron?
Basking in the glory of a 90 percent vaccination rate that has come at a huge cost of putting the country at a standstill under a strict lockdown should not be accepted as a cost-effective response.
Similarly, the government should not be wasting the lead time that New Zealand always gets because of its remoteness and forced closed borders with the rest of the world in self-adulation.
More work is required to be better prepared before Omicron eventually finds way into our community.
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