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New Zealand's 'Elimination Strategy' Tested as It Extends National COVID-19
Lockdown

Phil Mercer

   SYDNEY - Government minister in New Zealand Chris Hipkins
   admittedthatthe country's"elimination" approachtoachieve a "COVID zero"
   statusmay no longer beviableas the delta variant is proving difficult
   to control.

   The government in Wellington has extended a nationwide lockdown until
   at least Fridayand 107 infections have been detected so far.
   Stay-at-home orders in the city of Auckland--the center of the
   outbreak--are to remain until at least August 31.

   New Zealandhas been imposing lockdowns at the first sign of an outbreak
   implementing a strategy to "crush" COVID-19 and curb the spread of the
   virus.It also closed its borders to most foreign nationals in March
   2020, and returning citizens are subject to strict quarantine
   controls.The countryhas tried keep the pandemic at bayand earned the
   name "Fortress New Zealand"due tothe strategy.However,thegovernment is
   now admitting thereare cracks inthe country's approach in combatting
   the pandemic.

   Health officials have linked thedelta variant outbreak to atravelerwho
   returned from the Australian state of New South Waleson August 7.

   Hipkins toldalocalTVstationTVNZon Sundaythateliminatingthe virus would
   bea difficult task.

   "Deltadoes raise some big questions thatwe'regoing to have to grapple
   with, you know, less than a 24-hour period for someone getting it and
   passing it on to othersthat'slike nothingwe'vedealt with in this
   pandemic so far, and it does change everything.It does mean thatall
   ofour existing protectionsstartto look less adequate and less robustas
   a result ofthat.So, we are looking very closely at what more we can do
   there, but, yes, it does raise some pretty big questions about what the
   long-term future of our plans are,"Hipkins said.

   Australia is also moving away from its long-held elimination
   strategy.PrimeMinister Scott Morrison has warned that people would have
   to learn to live with the virus. But he said lockdowns would continue
   until at least70%of the population was fully vaccinated. So far, just
   under a third of Australians have received two doses.

   A night-time curfew in virus-hit parts of Sydney began Monday asdelta
   variant infections increase in Australia's biggest city.Masks are now
   mandatory for all residents outdoors.The police have been given greater
   powers to lock down apartment blocks, and order people to isolate
   for14daysif they break any restrictions.

   New South Wales and Victoria--Australia's most populous states--are in
   lockdown, along with the national capital, Canberra.

   New Zealand has recorded about 3,000 coronavirus cases and 26 deaths
   since the pandemic began.

   Australia hasreported44,000 infections and981deaths, according
   tothecountry'shealth department.

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