While thousands of coronavirus infections are being detected every day in many parts of the world, only two people were confirmed to be infected with coronavirus in New Zealand at the end of June.
Not only that, in the previous 24 days, not a single person in New Zealand was infected with coronavirus.
As a result, the health minister had to resign when it was discovered that the two had contracted the virus in violation of quarantine rules.
The question is, how did New Zealand become so successful in resisting Covid-19?
When did New Zealand close the border?
The first coronavirus outbreak outside China was reported in the Philippines on February 2.
There were no reports of covid infections in New Zealand at the time.
But from that day on, New Zealand banned the entry of all foreigners from China or through China.
Besides, whenever a New Zealand citizen returned to the country from China, he had to stay in isolation for 14 days.
When the virus spread around the world - aviation with Iran was banned. Because Iran was the source of New Zealand's first coronavirus case.
Passengers from northern Italy and South Korea and anyone showing signs of infection were banned from traveling.
Isolation was made mandatory for all citizens and non-citizens arriving in New Zealand from March 17 after landing in the country.
The only exceptions were people from the Pacific island nations - where the coronavirus almost never spread.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it was one of the toughest restrictions in the world - for which she would not apologize to anyone.
A few days later, Mrs. Ardern took an unprecedented step. He closed the country's borders to almost everyone, whether he was a New Zealand citizen or not.
"At a time when there were only a few thousand cases of infection worldwide, such a move would have helped New Zealand to stop the spread of the virus among the country's population," Professor Martin Berka, an economist at Massie University in New Zealand, told the BBC.
Lockdown in advance, and plans to eradicate the virus
In mid-March, it became clear that the new coronavirus could not be stopped by a common flu pandemic action plan, said Professor Michael Baker, a leading infectious disease specialist in New Zealand.
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| Lockdown has maintained since the outbreak of Coronavirus |
A report by the World Health Organization on the success of the lockdown in Wuhan, China, made it clear that New Zealand must take all possible steps from the beginning to eradicate the virus, said Professor Baker.
Towards the end of March some more steps were taken to prepare the people for the rapidly changing situation. A four-tiered warning system is issued in New Zealand.
The warning was raised to the fourth level on March 25. Under this, a nationwide lockdown was issued, everyone was asked to stay at home. Only emergency services are available.
"Examples for Others"
At that time, only 102 cases were reported in New Zealand. No one has died yet.
In comparison, 8,500 people were infected in the UK at that time, and 330 died.
The United Kingdom has never closed its borders. However, in early June, all arriving passengers were required to be in compulsory isolation. In early July, that rule was revised for some countries.
The UK government stated that it was "taking the right steps at the right time based on scientific advice". Apart from that, since the infection was widespread among the population in the United Kingdom at that time, the effect of imposing restrictions at the border would have been very limited.
Professor Berka said, "If we, like the British, had waited too long and kept everything open for so long, it would have been a huge problem. Our economic problems may be a little bit bigger than in some other countries but the result is that we are able to move freely and healthily despite being isolated.
Professor Baker says New Zealand has done a great job in enforcing the lockdown. Even when the infection was at its peak, the number of daily infections in New Zealand was only 69.
They have been able to respond to their call with all their heart, he said.
Tests and contact tracing
A program of extensive test and contact tracing was carried out during the lockdown.
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| Testing and Contact tracing is done very seriously |
New Zealand is now able to conduct 10,000 tests a day, and is instructing people it comes in contact with as soon as an infected person is identified.
The World Health Organization has praised New Zealand and set an example for other countries.
Not that New Zealand has not been criticized.
As the lockdown continued, the political consensus that had existed at the beginning began to crack.
Simon Bridges, then Leader of the Opposition, described the damage to the economy and the mental health of the people as greater than the damage caused by the lockdown.
The economic loss of the lockdown has also raised questions among the people.
But hundreds of people have been accused by police of breaking the lockdown - with 80 per cent supporting it.
Can this success be maintained?
On June 6, Jacinda Ardern announced that there had been no infection in the population for 16 days and that all infected people had fully recovered - so New Zealand had stopped spreading the virus for now.
The lockdown was lifted. Everyday life has now become almost normal, although some rules for maintaining social distance are still in force.
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| People are enjoying almost a normal life in New Zealand |
But the border is still closed to foreigners. There is no indication of when it will open. Officials say complacency could lead to disaster.
A week later the truth was understood.
Two women from the UK recently tested positive for coronavirus. They were allowed to leave Quarantine earlier without being examined, and they drove around the country until the sick Huber.
It was later learned that several people were allowed to leave the quarantine without proper examination - which amounted to a complete collapse of the government system.
Although the death toll has not risen, Health Minister David Clarke has had to resign in the face of widespread outrage.
Professor Baker said that New Zealand being a remote and small country, the economic value would naturally be extremely high. Because government subsidies will end one day and the country needs foreign tourists and workers.
They have succeeded because New Zealand is a small country, isn't it?
Professor Baker says New Zealand's isolation and low population density have helped them, but with effective government and infrastructure, it can be done in all countries - such as Vietnam, Taiwan and China.
"The countries that surprised me were the United Kingdom, Europe and North America. In general, we see them in the lead role in public health. ”
However, the UK government has always said that its strategy in the case of coronaviruses has followed scientific guidelines.
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