New academic analysis shows the level 4 lockdown in New Zealand not only allowed the country to catch up to Australia, but surpass it in terms of per capita COVID-19 cases. [Source: NZ Herald]
New academic analysis shows the level 4 lockdown in New Zealand not only allowed the country to catch up to Australia, but surpass it in terms of per capita COVID-19 cases.
The daily case rate in New Zealand has been only 59 per cent that of Australia since the start of a 33-day lockdown.
An analysis by an Associate Professor of the Otago University shows that New Zealand’s rate of confirmed cases per capita was far higher than Australia’s at the start of the lockdown, but drew level after about three and a half weeks and is now well below Australia’s.
Currently New Zealand has 229 confirmed cases and 3.9 deaths per million people, compared to Australia’s 269 confirmed cases and 3.4 deaths.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has pushed back strongly on any suggestion that the lockdown measures in New Zealand were too severe.
Ardern says New Zealanders should not confuse the success of the actions with overreaction, as there is plenty of proof around the world of the devastating result of responding too late.
