First infections in 100 days throw Kiwis back into lockdown
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has appealed for calm from Aucklanders heading back into lockdown after a clutch of new COVID-19 cases were identified.
New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has struck some heavy political weather as a recession looms. (Photo: AP: Mark Baker, file)
Four south Auckland family members have tested positive to the deadly virus on Tuesday, prompting the return of emergency measures.
As of noon on Wednesday, Aucklanders will be required to stay home unless they are conducting essential work or essential personal movement – such as supermarket shopping, health care or exercise.
“One of the most important lessons we’ve learnt from overseas is the need to go hard and go early and stamp out flare-ups to avoid the risk of wider outbreak,” Ardern said in a late-night press conference on Tuesday.
“As disruptive it is, a strong and rapid health response remains the best long term economic response.
“In line with our precautionary approach, we will be asking Aucklanders to take swift action with us.”
The lockdown has been announced for 60 hours – from noon on Wednesday to midnight on Friday – to allow health officials to contact trace, isolate potential cases and conduct mass testing.
However, the short-term lockdown still prompted Kiwis to head out to shops; within the hour Radio NZ reported hundreds of people queuing outside supermarkets.
“There will be ample stock on the shelves, there is no reason to go out and make any purchases this evening,” Ardern said.
“I know that this information will be very difficult to receive,” she said.
“We had all hoped not to find ourselves in this position again but we had also prepared for it.
“As a team we have also been here before. We know if we have a plan and stick to it we can work our way through very difficult and unknown situations.”
While Aucklanders will be largely shut off from the rest of New Zealand, where social distancing and gathering caps will be enforced, all New Zealanders would have felt flummoxed by the news.
Psychologist Jacqui Maguire said Kiwis would be experiencing a range of emotions, including “anxiety, fear, anger and disappointment”.
“Take that disappointment and use it as motivation to stick to the rules,” she said.
“Turning away from or suppressing your emotional reactions will only intensify them.
“Hold compassion and kindness for yourself and others as you adjust, reach out and offer support to those around you.
“Take one day at a time, practise your wellbeing strategies and hold the hope that we will get through this together.
-AAP
