# New Zealand drops COVID-19 elimination strategy under pressure from Delta Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-10-04 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: New Zealand shifts strategy from elimination to living with Meta Description: Discover how New Zealand is adapting its strategy to live with the coronavirus and control its spread as vaccinations increase, after abandoning its zero-COVID URL: https://financedigest.com/new-zealand-drops-covid-19-elimination-strategy-under-pressure-from-deltahtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2021-10-04t070605z1lynxmpeh9308krtroptp4health-coronavirus-newzealand-1736837723445-compressed.jpg) By Praveen Menon WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand on Monday abandoned its long-standing strategy of eliminating coronavirus amid a persistent Delta outbreak, and will instead look to live with the virus and control its spread as its vaccination rate rises. The Pacific nation was among just a handful of countries to bring COVID-19 cases down to zero last year and largely stayed virus-free until an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant in mid-August frustrated efforts to stamp out transmission. With this outbreak and [Delta the return](https://www.financedigest.com/delta-sees-return-to-profit-as-travel-demand-hits-historic-levels.html "Delta sees return to profit as travel demand hits ‘historic’ levels") to zero is incredibly difficult,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a news conference in a major policy shift. This is a [change in approach we were always going to make over time](https://www.financedigest.com/why-the-time-is-right-for-finance-to-embrace-digital-change.html "Why the time is right for finance to embrace digital change"). Our Delta outbreak has accelerated this transition. Vaccines will support it,” she said. Ardern said a lockdown affecting 1.7 million people in the biggest city Auckland will be [scaled back](https://www.financedigest.com/russia-sharply-scales-back-far-east-war-games-with-china.html "Russia sharply scales back Far East war games with China") in phases, with some freedoms introduced from Wednesday. The change of direction came as the country [recorded 29 new COVID-19 cases](https://www.financedigest.com/global-covid-19-cases-hit-250-million-eastern-europe-infections-at-record-levels.html "Global COVID-19 cases hit 250 million, eastern Europe infections at record levels") on Monday, taking the total number in the current outbreak to 1,357. Most cases are in Auckland, which has been in [lockdown for nearly 50 days](https://www.financedigest.com/shanghai-finds-cases-after-five-days-of-zero-covid-but-end-of-lockdown-on-track.html "Shanghai finds cases after five days of ‘zero COVID’ but end of lockdown on track"). Amid [mounting pressure](https://www.financedigest.com/factbox-global-banks-take-axe-to-jobs-as-cost-pressures-mount.html "Factbox-Global banks take axe to jobs as cost pressures mount"), Ardern has said her strategy was never to have zero cases, but to aggressively stamp out the virus. She said strict [lockdowns will end](https://www.financedigest.com/some-in-shanghai-allowed-out-to-shop-end-of-covid-lockdown-in-sight.html "Some in Shanghai allowed out to shop; end of COVID lockdown in sight") once 90% of the eligible population is vaccinated. About two million New Zealanders have so far been fully vaccinated, or about 48% of the eligible population. Ardern said the Delta variant felt like “a tentacle that has been incredibly hard to shake”. It’s clear that a long [period of heavy restrictions](https://www.financedigest.com/decrease-in-demand-of-automotive-paint-market-to-restrict-revenue-growth-during-the-forecast-period.html "Decrease in Demand of Automotive Paint Market to Restrict Revenue Growth During the Forecast Period") has not got us to zero cases. But its ok … elimination was important because we didn’t have vaccinations. Now we do. So we can begin to [change the way](https://www.financedigest.com/three-ways-that-2022-is-going-to-change-how-you-think-about-money.html "Three ways that 2022 is going to change how you think about money") we do things,” she said. People in Auckland will be able to [leave their homes](https://www.financedigest.com/olympics-belarus-sprinter-leaves-tokyo-for-vienna-after-refusing-to-go-home.html "Olympics-Belarus sprinter leaves Tokyo for Vienna after refusing to go home") to connect with loved ones outdoors from Wednesday, with a limit of 10 people, as well as go to beaches and parks. [Worldwide deaths related to COVID-19](https://www.financedigest.com/thermasonic-ultrasound-gel-warmers-market-covid-19-analysis-major-factors-that-can-increase-worldwide-demand.html "Thermasonic Ultrasound Gel Warmers Market (Covid-19 Analysis) Major Factors That Can Increase Worldwide Demand") surpassed 5 million on Friday https://www.reuters.com/world/global-covid-19-deaths-hit-5-million-delta-variant-sweeps-world-2021-10-02, according to a Reuters tally, with unvaccinated people particularly exposed to the virulent Delta strain. CHEERS AND WARNINGS Ardern used strict lockdowns and New Zealand’s geographic isolation to [eliminate coronavirus last year](https://www.financedigest.com/tennis-nadal-eliminated-from-atp-finals-alcaraz-to-finish-year-at-no-1.html "Tennis-Nadal eliminated from ATP Finals, Alcaraz to finish year at No. 1"), a feat that helped her secure an historic election victory https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-newzealand-election-idUKKBN2712ZI. But a sluggish [vaccine rollout and the persistent Delta outbreak this year](https://www.financedigest.com/reckitt-lifts-full-year-forecast-as-mobility-vaccinations-pick-up.html "Reckitt lifts full-year forecast as mobility, vaccinations pick up") has dented her popularity. Aucklanders turned to [social media](https://www.financedigest.com/why-no-event-should-be-planned-without-a-social-media-strategy.html "Why No Event Should Be Planned Without a Social Media Strategy") after the announcement, with many cheering the decision while others expressed concern. I think if we’d been at 1-2 unlinked [cases a day](https://www.financedigest.com/sydney-covid-19-cases-seen-topping-2000-a-day-as-australia-ramps-up-vaccinations.html "Sydney COVID-19 cases seen topping 2,000 a day as Australia ramps up vaccinations") and/or no infections in community and no spread outside Auckland (and higher vaccination) I’d be cheering right now,” one Aucklander said on Twitter. University of Auckland professor Shaun Hendy, who has been modelling the spread of COVID-19, said the new freedoms were likely to [lead to greater](https://www.financedigest.com/move-over-pcl-greater-londons-suburbs-take-the-lead-this-summer.html "Move over PCL, Greater London’s suburbs take the lead this summer") spread and higher case numbers in coming weeks. The government will be hoping that any growth in cases that result is slow [enough that vaccination](https://www.financedigest.com/germanys-vaccine-panel-says-one-covid-shot-enough-for-children.html "Germany’s vaccine panel says one COVID shot enough for children") can get ahead of the outbreak, before it puts significant strain on our testing and tracing system, not to mention our hospitals,” Hendy said. Political parties on both sides slammed the move. “Jacinda Ardern has no answers to problems that she and her Government promised us were under control. The situation is now, very clearly, out of control and worsening every day,” Opposition National [Party leader](https://www.financedigest.com/rishi-sunak-declared-next-leader-of-uk-conservative-party-to-become-next-pm.html "Rishi Sunak declared next leader of UK Conservative Party, to become next PM") Judith Collins said in a statement. Ardern’s Labour Party coalition partner, Greens, said the move [put vulnerable communities and children at risk](https://www.financedigest.com/four-corporate-email-oversights-that-put-your-organization-at-risk.html "Four Corporate Email Oversights That Put Your Organization at Risk"). (Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Richard Pullin) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---