By pursuing our strategy NZ has spent less per GDP on stimulus than Australia, the UK, or Canada, about 3x less than the US, and several times less than Japan yet has outgrown all the above (in fact top four growth in the world).
We've had the lowest rating on the covid restriction stringency index for most of the year (i.e. most freedoms in the world).
By keeping covid out we saved our economy, we borrowed less, we saved our liberties and freedoms, we saved lives, and we bought ourselves time and gave ourselves options. I think we've outperformed all expectations on all levels.
There's no debating we have to "learn to live with it" there was even an online panel with the government and epidemiologists on how we'll do it a few weeks ago (in Q1 next year once everyone has had the opportunity to be vaccinated the border starts re-opening) but we can do it in a way that we control.
Sucks for the Nix, sucks for the airlines and kiwis stuck overseas, but better for NZ as a whole.
We've had the lowest rating on the covid restriction stringency index for most of the year (i.e. most freedoms in the world).
By keeping covid out we saved our economy, we borrowed less, we saved our liberties and freedoms, we saved lives, and we bought ourselves time and gave ourselves options. I think we've outperformed all expectations on all levels.
There's no debating we have to "learn to live with it" there was even an online panel with the government and epidemiologists on how we'll do it a few weeks ago (in Q1 next year once everyone has had the opportunity to be vaccinated the border starts re-opening) but we can do it in a way that we control.
Sucks for the Nix, sucks for the airlines and kiwis stuck overseas, but better for NZ as a whole.
What you say makes a lot of sense. I just detest the thought of the unvaccinated (once everyone has had the opportunity to be double jabbed), effectively slowing down things 'opening up'.
With Pine & Voerman commenting on different threads above, if Ashley B jumps in here with his two cents worth I wouldn't be shocked.