New Zealand's virus-induced recession ends with record growth

Wolfpack

So if more people go indoors during the winter and are more likely to spread the killer virus - why isn’t the government doing anything about it? If they can force businesses to close and people to wear masks to save lives can’t they 1) force people to go outside for a certain number of hours per day, and 2) force people to wear masks and social distance indoors? People are dying and the government isn’t following the science. Why doesn’t Suga do something!

Thank goodness you aren't in a policy position. What we can do is social distancing and mask wearing. After that is hand washing and cleaning of surfaces. If absolutely necessary, lockdowns. That's what works. It isn't rocket science.

PTownsend: In other words, still waiting for the official word from the Kremlin, the global alt right's go-to source of information.

So you believe the Trump embassy? Wow.

@2020: There are other factors at play here. For example, now that it is winter many more people are staying inside and mask wearing inside is lower.

So if more people go indoors during the winter and are more likely to spread the killer virus - why isn’t the government doing anything about it? If they can force businesses to close and people to wear masks to save lives can’t they 1) force people to go outside for a certain number of hours per day, and 2) force people to wear masks and social distance indoors? People are dying and the government isn’t following the science. Why doesn’t Suga do something!

That’s from the embassy, they can say whatever they want, that’s their opinion, I won’t quibble with that, but they’re not convincing me.

In other words, still waiting for the official word from the Kremlin, the global alt right's go-to source of information.

bass4funk

I get that, but in Japan everyone is wearing the mask and everyone is following the safety protocols and yet, the numbers are rising, so my point is, if that’s the case, then wearing the mask really doesn’t reduce anything.

If you try to reduce all that is happening to a single variable (mask wearing) then you will get spurious results.

There are other factors at play here. For example, now that it is winter many more people are staying inside and mask wearing inside is lower.

From the US Embassy Japan

"Face masks are almost universally worn in public, especially in urban areas, indoors and on public transportation. U.S. citizens should be aware that failure to adhere to mask-wearing norms reflects poorly on foreign residents."

That’s from the embassy, they can say whatever they want, that’s their opinion, I won’t quibble with that, but they’re not convincing me.

NZ is much less populated in human density than other countries, that's why they can shut the virus out!

Bingo, someone gets it. Japan and the US not so much with a denser population.

Umm, no, actually. Population density doesn't affect death rates of the virus. Check out this chart. No correlation:

I get that, but in Japan everyone is wearing the mask and everyone is following the safety protocols and yet, the numbers are rising, so my point is, if that’s the case, then wearing the mask really doesn’t reduce anything. If it did and the numbers would be decreasing, I would give it more credibility. I’m not a scientist, but this is one reason why millions are not buying the mask hype.

Sounds like sour grapes from people living in nations that prioritized their freedumb over beating the pandemic. My heart positively bleeds.

It is those kinds of people that you mock for wanting “freedumb” that are the ones actually willing to shed their own blood to protect your right to belittle them. It is not only their own freedom - it’s everyone’s right to be free of government control.

If you want to hire someone to tell you what to do and how to run your life, feel free to join a commune of like minded individuals. Using the government to impose your values on the minority is authoritarian and wrong.

Sounds like sour grapes from people living in nations that prioritized their freedumb over beating the pandemic. My heart positively bleeds.

Bungle

All fine and dandy right up until international flights are resumed. Unless Ardern is planning to go the whole Tokugawa.

The vaccine will allow NZ to open up safely.

sangetsu

So a sparsely populated country

Population density doesn't affect death rates of the virus. Check out this chart. No correlation:

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/covid-19-death-rate-vs-population-density?time=latest

with a relatively young and healthy people with a small percentage of the ethnicities most at risk of death from COVID

Don't measure the death rates then; look at how many people got the virus. The cases per million is three times better than Japan, even though NZ has the most testing in the world.

is hit by this very seasonal virus in the summer season,

Umm, NZ were hit with this virus in the autumn, going into winter.

and we wonder why the case count and death toll are low?

Well, we know it isn't population density, ethnicity, young people, the summer or any of the other red herrings you list.

New Zealand, unlike most other countries, especially America, counts only those who specifically die of COVID as victims of the virus. In America anyone who dies while positive for COVID is a victim, regardless of the cause of death. Apply America’s system for counting COVID fatalities to New Zealand and you end up with thousands of fatalities.

Absolutely untrue. New Zealand counts deaths the same as the US.

BTW, 14% minus 11% is 3% net growth, and not something to be overly proud of.

It's amazing considering the pandemic. Not sure why you wouldn't think that.

bass4funk

NZ is much less populated in human density than other countries, that's why they can shut the virus out!

Bingo, someone gets it. Japan and the US not so much with a denser population.

Umm, no, actually. Population density doesn't affect death rates of the virus. Check out this chart. No correlation:

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/covid-19-death-rate-vs-population-density?time=latest

NZ is much less populated in human density than other countries, that's why they can shut the virus out!

Explain Taiwan's similar degree of success. :/

BTW, 14% minus 11% is 3% net growth, and not something to be overly proud of.

Considering the circumstances it is.

NZ is much less populated in human density than other countries, that's why they can shut the virus out!

No, that only matters to a certain degree. Other countries of low population density have been ravaged.

The difference with New Zealand comes down to two things:

1) Quality leadership.

2) People willing (or forced) to work with their leadership for the benefit of their society.

Countries that have these things do well. Countries missing either of them do not as well. Countries missing both of them have been complete failures in dealing with the pandemic.

So a sparsely populated country with a relatively young and healthy people with a small percentage of the ethnicities most at risk of death from COVID is hit by this very seasonal virus in the summer season, and we wonder why the case count and death toll are low?

New Zealand, unlike most other countries, especially America, counts only those who specifically die of COVID as victims of the virus. In America anyone who dies while positive for COVID is a victim, regardless of the cause of death. Apply America’s system for counting COVID fatalities to New Zealand and you end up with thousands of fatalities.

For whatever reason, COVID is a political phenomenon more than a medical. And rather than credit the nature of New Zealand’s geography, its people, or its medical system, people praise its political policies.

I am not sure why anyone cares about Chibas size and wealth relative to New Zealand

NZ is much less populated in human density than other countries, that's why they can shut the virus out!

Bingo, someone gets it. Japan and the US not so much with a denser population.

NZ is much less populated in human density than other countries, that's why they can shut the virus out!

That's a good result.

Will it continue?

It will take time before the infected foreigners are let back in (or want to travel) to help the tourism and education industries there, but at least you'd think the government could adopt a soviet style Go To Travel campaign to incentivize New Zealanders to travel domestically and help pick up the slack caused by the border policy. The travelling foreigners might have bigger budgets, but still it's better than nothing and the New Zealanders must be keen to travel.

Thumbs up from me for now, I was skeptical about the impact on the economy of their shutout policy but if it is working for them, good for them.

Fake news. Everyone seems to know enforced lock down for a limited time kills a countries economy dead.

/sarcasm.

All fine and dandy right up until international flights are resumed.

at which point the NZ population will be vaccinated.

I am not sure why anyone cares about what happens in New Zealand

the article is about NZ.

I am not sure why anyone cares about what happens in New Zealand, the entire country has fewer people and less GDP than Chiba prefecture.

Relative to population density and the percentage of people over 70, Japan has done remarkably well during COVID, despite no mandatory lockdowns or restrictions.

It’s funny how Japan has largely been ignored by the rest of the world in the later part of the pandemic. Back in February, during the “Diamond Princess” debacle, Japan was in the headlines around the world, it was predicted that Japan would be the country hardest hit by COVID, and that as many 400,000 Japanese would lose their lives by the end of the summer.

BTW, 14% minus 11% is 3% net growth, and not something to be overly proud of.

This is just a forerunner of what is to come in the world.

Many countries will take the vaccine, and move forward beyond this virus.

Some countries have a high level of distrust in the deep state, and will refuse to take the vaccine. These countries will be held back by the vaccine, as it will take longer for them to recover, and be a larger drag on their economies.

NZ did it right. They shut down hard, for long enough to bring the virus under control, then reopened when it was safe.

If only everywhere had done that.

Although not a fan of Jacinda Ardern or her party, they have at least mostly made the right decisions in the face of the pandemic. Ardern has proven to be good in the face of crisis management, and a useless socialist the rest of the time.

However rolled out to a Global community, Japan, a nation of 128,000,000 will be a challenge.

you are correct, although being absolutely transparent and upfront with the public, along with with consistent messaging and letting scientists lead the effort instead of economists, has nothing to do with population size. That just takes political will which has obviously been lacking in many nations.

nonu6976, yes I think the timing of this vaccine is fortuitous.

Managed, risk assessed, NZ could form a model.

However rolled out to a Global community, Japan, a nation of 128,000,000 will be a challenge.

The vaccine is the last piece of the puzzle - then I think the tourists will absolutely flock back in droves.

A true win/success story for the NZ People and Government.

Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr said that meant sectors reliant on international travel, such as tourism and education, continued to struggle.

This will be a challenge for the foreseeable future.

However, the People and Government have allot to be proud of.

so like China NZ is reaping the benefits of locking down hard and early, meanwhile some countries are see record number of infected and dead

Looks like a job well done.

No wonder she thrashed the living daylights out of the opposition at the last election.

Giving credit where it’s due is grown-up. Let’s prepare ourselves for comments about small populations, geography, tyranny etc.

Hats off to New Zealanders and PM Ardern! The global right, especially those 'borntotroll' must be upset seeing how this makes their state's authoritarian leaders look in comparison.