The New Zealanders thought they were rid of corona, but that was cheered too soon. In August, a new outbreak surfaced in Auckland, the country’s largest city, prompting new strict restrictions and postponement of elections. But in the meantime, the whole country is back at level 1.
Ardern’s quick and resolute approach, with clear and above all empathetic communication, earned her a lot of praise. For example, at the start of the lockdown, she held a question-and-answer session on social media with her fellow countrymen from her bedroom. “The 5 million team” (that’s how many New Zealanders there are) became a household name in the country. Just like her slogan “Be kind, be strong”.
What exactly did that firm approach entail? New Zealand immediately closed its borders and embarked on intensive contact tracking, controlled quarantines and extensive testing. Of course it must be said that as an island state it is easier to control the borders. And not everything went smoothly, there was an incident in which some foreign travelers had nevertheless traveled through the country infected. Some media also blamed Ardern for a lack of transparency.
–
