How are people on the other side of the world dealing with the pandemic? How is the vaccination readiness there? What restrictions do the citizens have? Two emigrants from the region give a review of the pandemic months and describe their personal situation.
Wifling/Velden/Sydney/Auckland – Dr. Stephanie Macht from Wifling has lived in the metropolitan area of Sydney in the state of New South Wales in Australia for six years, where she teaches at Central Queensland University. Bernhard Neudecker from Velden / Vils moved to New Zealand in 1998 after three and a half years in South Africa, where he works as a computer scientist. The two give a review of the pandemic months and describe their personal situation.
Australia has developed from problem child to class leader when it comes to vaccinations in just a few months. In June, less than five percent of the total population had been vaccinated twice, but according to official figures, the rate for over 16-year-olds is now almost 89 percent. How it works? “We were practically locked in, and loosening was only promised after a certain vaccination quota,” says Macht. “Australia is an island, so you can isolate yourself well,” adds the 40-year-old, who was last in Germany at the beginning of 2020. Corona was already on the rise.
Bernhard Neudecker was at his home in Velden for the last time at the same time. “My partner Mayumi and I had planned to stay ten weeks before we spent March 2020 in Japan with Mayumi’s family,” he says. But nothing came of it. The two had quickly recognized the seriousness of the situation and canceled the Japan part of the trip. “We were back in New Zealand on March 4th, on one of the last scheduled flights – and on an empty plane.” If they hadn’t acted so quickly, they would have got stuck in Japan for a long time, the 61-year-old suspects. “In any case, New Zealand was already sealed off by the date of our planned return at the end of March and was in lockdown until May.”
–Australia also quickly closed the borders, but major measures were only taken when the delta variant appeared. The internal borders were also closed, and there were also the strictest quarantine rules and curfews. The zero covid strategy worked: there were hardly any new corona cases during the first two waves of 2020. But even the smallest outbreak led to major restrictions: “A three-day lockdown was imposed in Perth – because of a single new case,” reports Macht. And the state of Victoria with the metropolis of Melbourne spent a full 262 days in lockdown, more than any other region in the world.
Sydney was also put into a strict lockdown: only one person was allowed to leave the house per day and household. When shopping you were encouraged not to stroll for long. “Sometimes the police even asked the people in the supermarket to hurry up,” says Macht. In June of this year, among other things, the greater Sydney area was closed again due to the expansion of the delta variant.
In Australia, vaccinations are given in every pharmacy
It was only from then on that the vaccination campaign picked up speed, because at the beginning Australia mainly relied on the vaccine from AstraZeneca – “but especially the younger ones did not want to be vaccinated with it,” says Macht. She herself also relied on the vaccine from Biontech, although at first it was only available in special clinics. That changed very quickly, however, and the vaccine is now available almost everywhere. And almost everywhere almost everywhere means: “It is really easy to get vaccinated here: Every pharmacy does that” – as it is now planned in Germany.
Only when 70 percent of those over 16 years of age have been vaccinated twice should there be easing, and even more freedom for 80 percent. “So people got vaccinated,” and Sydney celebrated its “Freedom Day” in mid-October. Fitness studios, bars, restaurants – everything unlocked again. “We went to dinner on the first day when it was allowed again,” says Macht. But she also admits: Sitting among strangers for the first time – quite a change, but you get used to it very quickly.
New Zealand: Only international travel was nearly impossible
If not identical, the situation in New Zealand was similar. The delta variant had reached the island on August 16. Before that, New Zealand – similar to Australia – was practically covid-free for a year and, according to Neudecker, the restrictions were minimal, “only international travel was almost impossible,” says the Bavarian, who has both German and New Zealand citizenship.
New Zealand had already started to cancel most international flights at the end of February 2020. In March and April, thousands of New Zealanders were brought back with numerous government-organized charter flights. At the same time, the MIQ system (Government Managed Isolation and Quarantine) was introduced. For this purpose, hotels, mainly in the urban area of Auckland, were converted and fenced in. The country was then only open to New Zealand citizens and “permanent residents”, who could return via the few remaining international flights and then had to be quarantined in said hotels for two weeks. For a long time, the costs were borne by the government. “Although that sounds good, it is a kind of prison on a luxury level, as the hotels are managed like high-security tracts, first by private security services, then by the police, and then by the army,” says Neudecker.
Long waiting lists for the quarantine hotels
The system worked quite well until mid-2020, mainly because the demand had barely exceeded the 3000 available spaces. “But when the situation in many countries became more dramatic, many Kiwis who had previously lived abroad for a long time decided to come back to safe New Zealand,” says Neudecker, and demand rose to almost 100,000 places at times. This led to long waiting lists that continue to this day.
The seven-day incidence in Australia is currently 41. However, the rules remain strict there too. Unvaccinated people are currently not allowed in restaurants or leisure facilities. And shopping for Christmas presents? You also have to be vaccinated for this, only shops for daily needs and some specialist markets are open to unvaccinated people. Measures such as those Germany has taken these days.
The vaccination certificates are checked in the bars and shops by doormen. “In addition, every visitor has to check in via the app with a QR code, which makes contact tracking a lot easier,” reports Macht. This check-in procedure was in place very quickly in Australia in spring 2020.
New Zealand: Transparent handling of measures and plans
It is true that the disinfectant dispensers are being used less and less recently. However, it is compulsory to wear a mask, for example in closed rooms or on public transport, in Down Under, but there are no “plus” solutions where vaccinated persons also need a test. And unlike in Germany, there are no exceptions for those who have recovered. But if you don’t get vaccinated, you can even lose your job.
As a lecturer at Central Queensland University in Sydney, the economist still works almost exclusively in the home office. Although the campus reopened on November 1st, there are still no students on site.
The 40-year-old was only partially surprised that the vaccination rate rose so quickly. “Australia is generally very restrictive,” she says. The citizens are used to it, and most of them support the measures. Nevertheless, there are regular demonstrations against the regulations and, above all, vaccination.
Neudecker attributes the successful corona policy in New Zealand to the fact that the government has always been very transparent about the measures and its plans. “Politicians were well advised and also followed the advice of scientists,” he says.
But the decisive factor is success. New Zealand has 44 Covid deaths with around five million inhabitants, in Australia there are a good 2000 deaths with a good 25 million inhabitants. “Compared to other countries, that’s very, very low. I and over 80 percent of New Zealanders are happy to accept a few personal sacrifices for the common good, ”explains the computer scientist.
He was amazed at the low vaccination rate in his old homeland: “I am very surprised that a large percentage in Germany is so unreasonable and unreasonable.”
Bernhard Neudecker cannot travel home to attend his mother’s funeral
Recently, Australia opened up a bit to the outside world again, and in some cases allows flights to other countries again. A great relief for Macht, because “it really got me down that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to fly home if something had happened there.”
That is exactly what happened to Neudecker. His mother died on October 19 in her home country. Saying goodbye at the grave and with his three brothers was not possible. He admits: “I would probably not have planned to come just for the funeral in the non-Corona universe. But I would have liked to visit my mother again when she was feeling worse, so that I could spend time with her and say goodbye in person, ”says Neudecker.
But the situation turned out to be too difficult for that. The MIQ system was a major hurdle because the average waiting time in October was around two months to get a place in the quarantine hotel after returning to New Zealand. “To be honest, I was hoping that it would have lasted until mid-2022. So I had planned a visit. ”Since the lockdown and the appearance of the Delta variant in August, the willingness to vaccinate in New Zealand increased and was quickly at 90 percent. Neudecker expected that it would be at the targeted 95 percent by the end of the year. It all gave him confidence.
The next visits home are already planned
But the eldest of the four sons made his peace: “I had a good time with my mother on my last visit. It is a shame that a personal farewell did not work out, but I would certainly not accuse New Zealand’s strict corona rules for this, ”emphasized the former Veldener. He stands behind the government’s strategy. “I have limitations, but I see their purpose and success. I am confident that it is the right way to go and that the situation will improve in the near future. “
When the border is open again, the New Zealander by choice would like to travel to his brothers and say goodbye at his mother’s grave. “To live in New Zealand means that what is going on in Europe is very far away and could well just be a dream. The only difference in my life since my mother died is that we no longer have our weekly phone calls, and I am often unaware that she has died. The funeral and mourning with family, old friends, neighbors and acquaintances would certainly have been helpful. I hope to see this kind of processing on my next visit, ”he says confidently.
Telephone calls to home – that also knows power. For almost two years she only saw her family on the screen, this year “live” again at Christmas. The flights are already booked.
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