The point about the early lockdowns is they were effective and were lifted quickly. While the borders remained shut, life in NZ was fairly unrestricted at first and almost uniquely so. The virus was at first eliminated.
So the popularity of the lockdowns was that they worked and allowed more time with more freedoms and fewer restrictions than elsewhere.
It wasn’t that lockdowns were popular for themselves- it was that they were much better for everyone, especially business, than piecemeal restrictions which just resulted in continued virus spread and deaths.
So the popularity of the lockdowns was that they worked and allowed more time with more freedoms and fewer restrictions than elsewhere.
It wasn’t that lockdowns were popular for themselves- it was that they were much better for everyone, especially business, than piecemeal restrictions which just resulted in continued virus spread and deaths.
The virus was never eliminated
You need to do better than that. Plus I’m not a sheepie- never been iconic or the backbone of the NZ economy or identity…
I can immediately think of 3 points (beyond source, wtf are these numbers? More Murdoch BS? because there was a lot of simple lying in the pandemic.)
a) Are we talking business failure above the natural rate of attrition? 50% of hospitality businesses fail in the first two years I believe, under pre-COVID norms.
b) Are we talking about businesses closing directly attributable to lockdown or to the effect of the pandemic? Demand overseas where lighter restrictions were in place saw huge drop offs also and businesses failed.
c) The initial virus was eliminated for significant periods, including summer holidays which saw a big boost in economic activity.
As well while it was possible to control the virus when it had lower transmissibility, people were keen to control it and save lives and health costs. Long Covid is effecting a small, but not unimportant percentage of people, and the virus is killing too many people daily. These all have negative effects on people’s lives and by extension the economy.
Though now I think cynically about it I wonder if it just has an uptick in the death and health industries, and a downturn in tourism etc. so it all balances out…