New Zealand lifts lockdown as last coronavirus patient recovers:
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced New Zealand will lift its coronavirus lockdown allowing a return to a nearly normal life for the country's five million people, as health officials reported that the final person known to have contracted the infection had recovered.
Making the announcement at a news conference on Monday, Ardern said the government would not let down its guard over the virus and promised to rebuild an economy that has slowed because of the global pandemic.
[...] It has been 17 days since the last new case was reported in New Zealand, and Monday also marked the first time since late February that there have been no active cases.
[...] Officials were eager to stress that the coronavirus remained a concern given the growth of cases elsewhere in the world. Borders would remain closed, Ardern said, describing them as the "first line of defence". Only citizens and residents, with some exceptions, are currently allowed into the country.
[...] Elimination did not mean eradicating the virus permanently from New Zealand, but eliminating "chains of transmission" for at least 28 consecutive days after the last infected person left isolation, which would be on June 15, the ministry said.
[...] Experts say a number of factors have helped the nation wipe out the disease, including its isolated location, along with leadership shown by the prime minister, who imposed a strict lockdown early on during the outbreak.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 11 2020, @12:51AM (4 children)
PartTimeZombie, is that you :P
On a serious note, didn't Ardern pass a law allowing police to access property without a warrant and is that to be rescinded?
(Score: 5, Informative) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday June 11 2020, @01:14AM (1 child)
No, it wasn't me, and yes she did.
People are pretty unhappy about it too, but it has a 3 month sunset clause and was never been used. As we're under level 1 now I'm not even sure it could be used.
Interestingly we have a law giving Customs the right to look at your phone when you're entering the country on pain of a $5,000 fine if you refuse, but I know two people who have refused, and neither have been prosecuted.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 11 2020, @01:33AM
Thanks, seems people in NZ are paying attention. Laws like that have a habit of staying around and I wasn't a huge fan of her Christchurch response, was worried she'd make it permanent.
(Score: 3, Funny) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday June 11 2020, @01:15AM (1 child)
Oh, also shagging anyone for all that time sounds like too much hard work anyway.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 11 2020, @02:11AM
Mike Polk, is that you? [youtube.com]