If the last few days Covid results are anything to go by we may be heading back to elimination of Covid. This would be an outstanding and exceptional result. And the pivot from the original form of elimination and fortress border to a much more sustainable system based on high vaccination rates and looser border controls is logical and has been executed pretty well flawlessly, no matter what the naysayers claim.
Overseas countries are in their fourth and fifth waves. And in Australia and Europe Omicron is raging. Early commentary suggests that Omicron is less dangerous, but hospitalisation rates are increasing and it may be touch and go if their health systems can manage. And meanwhile the disruption to their economies and their communities continue. And we still have no understanding of the long term implications of infection are.
Meanwhile there has been a new scare.
An English DJ by the stage name DJ Dimension served out his ten day isolation on arrival in the country and his first three tests were negative. He had his day nine test but there was a delay in getting the results. He chose instead to go out to various locations in downtown Auckland although the rules are pretty clear. He should have continued to self isolate until the results of that test came through.
He has expressed regret and cancelled out of performing at Rhythm and Vines.
There are two questions that have to be asked:
Firstly it seems there is at least a possibility that he contracted Omicron in MIQ. Do we have to dial up the hygiene and security settings?
Secondly and more importantly WHY ARE WE TRUSTING THE COUNTRY’s HEALTH SYSTEM TO INDIVIDUALS DOING THE RIGHT THING? Dear reader I am afraid that the world’s history is littered with humans doing the wrong thing. If there is one species on the planet that can be trusted to fuck things up and do something stupid it is Homo Sapiens.
To all those claiming that the MIQ system is a travesty and a gross violation of human rights DJ Dimension shows why we can’t have nice things. We cannot trust humans in the middle of a pandemic to act appropriately 100% of the time. And with a virus as potent as Omicron we cannot afford to take any risks.
The Government’s very careful steps towards loosening up MIQ, long derided and attacked by the Opposition, are clearly spot on.
Meanwhile I suspect consideration will be given to keeping Auckland at level three for a longer period. Just to be sure.
Why does National have an active petition to "End MIQ Now"?
— Clint Smith (@ClintVSmith) December 29, 2021
Why haven't they taken it down – both after their flip flop on Aussie and the DJ Dimension's self-isolation failure?https://t.co/so3EidLbN9 pic.twitter.com/FiDL5gWjNy
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