Let's take a minute to think about the country with the world's highest rate of infection - 1 in 1,000.

Yes, the Vatican. Also the place that has 2.27 popes per square kilometer.

Vatican statistics are fun.

sbiddle:

 

The economic damage has already been done - we just won't see this for a while yet. It's going to be brutal, very, very brutal. Preventing more people from coming here is now just an obvious decision.

 

 

 

Someone from Tourism NZ was interviewed on National Radio yesterday, provisional (but stated as far from a "worst case") scenario is that forward tourist number projections have halved.  That was stated as a $7 billion hit to the economy by the end of the year (an $18 billion industry).  I guess that's at least >50,000 jobs will go out of >200,000 working in the sector. And that's just one sector of the economy about to be decimated. 

Scott3:

mattwnz:

I don't think there is any  point in delaying it further, especially as we head into winter and flu season

 

At this point, it is pretty clear that we will need to start taking drastic action domestically (close schools, cancel gatherings, stop public transport etc) to "flatten the curve" when the expected community outbreak happens.

Seems the economic impact of the above will be similar or greater to closing the boarders. - Sounds like most business travel, and international sports events are getting canceled anyway.

 

Has India had any diplomatic kickback against it's decision to suspend most travel visa's?

Scott3:

 

 

 

 

 

At this point, it is pretty clear that we will need to start taking drastic action domestically (close schools, cancel gatherings, stop public transport etc) to "flatten the curve" when the expected community outbreak happens.

Seems the economic impact of the above will be similar or greater to closing the boarders. - Sounds like most business travel, and international sports events are getting canceled anyway.

 

The problem by doing things slowly, is that it also causes a lot of uncertainty, which is why the financial markets have all crashed, and they fall further when new restrictions get announced. Basically what we need to do is buy time until the vaccine is produced. Never thought I would ever see this situation occur, especially with all the advances in medicine and technology. 

The NZ government still say that community outbreaks are a 'low' risk of occurring, so in terms of what we are doing inside NZ, it maybe working. But that is irrelevant if we are potentially letting infected people into the country undetected, as it is impossible to know if someone is infected or not as they enter through the gates.

The closing of our border is a decision that should not be taken lightly. I am sure the PM is receiving a lot of briefings from various sector experts. The PM will have at hand far more information at hand than that which is available here. Closing the border may well be the wrong option and may hinder our ability to combat the virus and maintain the treatment of other conditions.

👍 Today German government will release a short-time compensation package when a shut-down is no longer an option. Touching the fiscal accounts becomes priority for this.

- It's highly recommended to reduce social contacts to the absolute necessary - really!

- More and more soccer games (and other events) here are played as "ghost games" with no local audience allowed.

- Prevent usage of public transportation whenever possible.

- School holidays will be brought forward or extended.

Another day begins in "Corona City" ... 😉 - oh, and the infection rate is still in line with the exponential function. Just to mention.

It should be noted that even if we "close the border", in line with international immigration norms, we will need to accept our own citizens, meaning that (assuming some airlines keep flying) we will not have eliminated the risk anyway.

Kinda glad it's not my call. Basically whatever decision is made will be ripped to shreds in the media.

[edit] fixed spelling

Border folks.

MikeB4:

The closing of our border is a decision that should not be taken lightly. I am sure the PM is receiving a lot of briefings from various sector experts. The PM will have at hand far more information at hand than that which is available here. Closing the border may well be the wrong option and may hinder our ability to combat the virus and maintain the treatment of other conditions.

Handle9: It is very easy to say close the border now, we have to isolate. When the impact of that is double digit unemployment and significant shortages it's not so easy.

There will be significant infections and deaths in New Zealand, it's inevitable. Managing that as effectively as possible while minimising other impacts is responsible and sensible.

cshwone: I understand that Italy is triaging already based on age and pre existing conditions but that's when the virus gets a grip.

Facing the facts: that's part of ANY medical crisis management plan when reaching a certain level runnin' out of capacity ... at any place in the world.

cshwone: Let's strengthen our own internal interests.

That's understandable ... but ... when we shut down our economy here, who is gonna produce your pharmaceuticals?

MikeB4:

 

The closing of our border is a decision that should not be taken lightly. I am sure the PM is receiving a lot of briefings from various sector experts. The PM will have at hand far more information at hand than that which is available here. Closing the border may well be the wrong option and may hinder our ability to combat the virus and maintain the treatment of other conditions.

 

I wonder if it is because a lot of other stuff is also transported on passenger planes, such as medications. So if those planes aren't flying, then it won't get delivered. I would hope there are contingencies in place or maybe that is what they are working on. 

I see Australia have now banned gatherings of more than 500 people. Doesn't includes schools or public transport. I would have thought public transport would be a bit of a problem. I remember when I used to catch the train, I used to always get colds, as they were often overloaded.