After 102 Days COVID-Free, New Zealand ’s Resurgence Highlights the Difficulties of Returning to Normal Life

For the past three months, New Zealanders have enjoyed a ‘COVID-free’ country, with citizens hugging one another, children returning to classrooms and sport fans filling stadiums. But this changed on Tuesday, when a family of four from Auckland, the country’s biggest city, tested positive for the virus, breaking a 102 day streak without any new COVID-19 cases. As of today, 29 people have tested positive for the virus, all of which remain linked to the original four cases. Although the government says the latest outbreak appears to currently be limited to one cluster, it is taking tough actions to prohibit any further spread. The small outbreak has sent a third of the population back into lockdown and the rest of the country into restrictions. Auckland has been placed under level 3 lockdown, with residents asked to stay home unless they have to go into work, buy groceries or exercise. “We can see the seriousness of the situation we are in,” Jacinda Ardern, the country’s prime minister said at a press conference. “It’s being dealt with in an urgent but calm and methodical way.” New Zealand has been lauded internationally for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic with some suggesting Ardern is “the most effective leader on the planet.” Intense contact tracing, isolation and testing made New Zealand one of the first COVID-free countries in the world. On June 8, all social distancing measures were lifted after a 5...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 Source Type: news