Today I am not going to write much which is new. I’ll just make some points:
- People of New Zealand are extremely happy with their leadership’s handling of the crisis (apparently 84%). The number of new infections has been dropping in the past few days. That’s great news! No doubt!
- Overseas, countries hit big by the Covid-19 infections are starting to see slightly lower numbers of deaths and confirmed infections (Spain, Italy, USA). It could be a good trend or it could be just a little bump on the graphic.
- China warns of a potential second wave, more deadly. How do they know? How do they know only days after their best results so far? And how do we know the initial figures coming from China were correct, as they don’t add up to any evolution of this disease in other badly affected country? (Yes, there is a common answer to these questions, but I am not even tempted to speculate on it. Just watch the Trump – WHO situation and you’ll realise what’s going on.)
To celebrate the first two weeks of the NZ Lock-down, especially being so glad to see that our PM and her staff have stepped in (later than they could have) and imposed (weak) new measures of quarantine, I just want to share with you my Facebook post from the 22nd of March. Read and wonder! Just go back in time a few weeks ago and more than o thousand cases ago…
<< PROBABLY THE LAST CHANCE FOR NZ TO BEAT THE PANDEMIC – URGENT MEASURES REQUIRED
On the 26th of February 2020 I suggested that New Zealand should close its borders.
The very same day Confirmed Case #1 entered the country. We could have contained this and, with our local energy and food resources, we could have waited in isolation without losing one single life to Covid-19, until a vaccine and/or a cure became available. We are not in the middle of a crowded continent with uncontrollable movements. We are an island nation and in full control of our borders.
Now (March 22nd) we have 66 confirmed cases and the number is increasing every day, as it did in other countries before. Soon, this will grow out of control and the multitude of critical patients will overpower our health system.
It is inadmissible that a double standard was applied: those who initially came from China were placed in controlled quarantine in a military facility, while those who later came from Europe, North America, Australia, cruise ships, etc. were just kindly asked to self-isolate.
Of the 66 KNOWN cases, only 10 are in the South Island, without likely any community contagion there.
There is still time to:
1. Isolate the South Island from the North Island and move the essential structures of power to Christchurch.
2. Introduce Mandatory Quarantine for all known and probable cases.
3. Reorganise this shambolic national pandemic response by urgently supporting the medical staff with ventilators, masks, protection suits, test kits, etc. – as many as it is possible made in NZ.
4. Use empty hotels as quarantine facilities and redundant tour buses as mobile testing/lab facilities.
5. Introduce measures to prevent anarchy and put in place tough immediate penalties for those who attempt to take advantage of the situation.
6. Support our weak, sick, elderly and vulnerable with medication, food, constant check-ups, free house heating appliances installation – use people who are being made redundant to create a temporary task force.
7. Activate the Navy and Army Reserves to decisively help with critical pandemic hot spots and public order.
8. Move to an electronic vote system, so the General Elections could be held in time with no threat to public health or to our democracy.
9. Reactivate doctors and nurses recently retired and allow international health professionals currently in the country but without NZ registration to join the fight against Covid-19 to the best of their abilities and experience.
10. Lock down any community with above average rate of infection, on case by case bases, for at least 14 days.
Please share this so maybe it gets to the authorities and they might act decisively. Thank you. >>
Does this ring a bell?
