This thread – as many before have been – is based on the curious belief that New Zealanders aren't clever enough to understand that Covid will become endemic in the community AT SOME STAGE. The vast majority of Kiwis do understand this, OP's pal notwithstanding. 'Zero Covid' has always been talked about as a short-term solution, not an eternal state of affairs. (I suppose all political strategies are short-term solutions but that's another conversation really.)
The plan has always been to keep Covid out for as long as feasible – not 'forever'. Covid has been around for 1.8 years, NZ has managed to largely keep it out for that time and is aiming to continue doing so until the largest possible percentage of the population has been vaccinated, including children, unlike the UK. Given the size of the population and the current rate of the vaccination schedule, this should be achieved by the end of the first quarter next year latest, probably much sooner. That means NZ's efforts will have been toward keeping Covid out for 2.25 years. Quite different to 'forever.'
During this pandemic, the New Zealand community has been in lockdown for a tiny proportion of time compared to most countries. The population has enjoyed more internal freedom of movement, normal school and general activity than almost any country in the world and this will still be true at the end of this current lockdown.
It has also had a fraction of the deaths and serious illness of most countries. This will also continue to be true once the country 'opens up'. Literally thousands of painful and premature deaths have been prevented and better general population health has been maintained. Yes, there will be illnesses and deaths in the future, everyone understands this, but the severity will be substantially mitigated by having the population highly vaccinated before 'letting it in'. This is a good result from any angle.
The economy has also been much less badly affected than most countries. Despite the border closures, NZ has maintained economic growth through the pandemic. Assumptions about the critical importance of tourism to the economy have been given cause for review, to the relief of quite a lot of people who are a bit fed up about the damage tourism does along with the money it brings.
New Zealand's vaccine rollout has been slower than most countries for two major reasons:
- With zero Covid in the community, it made sense that other countries with high levels of Covid in the community would be prioritised for deliveries. You are welcome.
- New Zealand simply does not have the same kind of economic swing that much larger countries used to demand priority delivery, which I would think more of the people describing NZ as 'a tiny island at the arse end of the world' would be able to figure out.
I am amazed at the confidence of people to opine on the success or failure of NZ's health strategy given that their ignorance about this country shows it has zero actual relevance to them. Also the confidence to declare the strategy a success or failure at this point, given that the pandemic is far from over. Again, I guess these are the same people who can't tell the difference between '2-3 years' and 'forever'.
And a genuine LOL at the idea that David Seymour would ever be the Prime Minister of NZ. He is intelligent and amusing enough and I admire his willingness to laugh at himself but his turn on Dancing With The Stars was where his fame peaked.