A top Kiwi medical expert is "overjoyed" with the Government's strict new coronavirus lockdown measures.
Professor Michael Baker is an epidemiologist with the University of Otago who petitioned the Government to raise the Covid-19 alert level to 4.
"I am overjoyed at the new direction New Zealand's taking. It's absolutely the right thing. We can beat the virus doing this," Professor Baker told 1 NEWS.
"We were on the same trajectory as other countries, which is an exponential rise, and we just know where that's going to go. And that's a terrible future."
"I think this will interrupt the virus and I think we need to applaud the Government for showing real leadership. And it's a really hard choice, but it's absolutely the right thing to do.
Jacinda Ardern said there would be an unprecedented level of economic and social disruption as a result of the lockdown. (Source: Other)
He says the next four weeks will be a challenge for the whole country.
"The policy won't make the virus go away on its own, it's how people behave as the result of the policy. We have to all do the right thing.
"And the great benefit about that is we'll actually get through it much faster.
"We're giving the virus nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide. And if we all do this, the virus will disappear in a few weeks," he said.
Level four alert system:
- People instructed to stay at home
- Educational facilities closed
- Businesses closed except for essential services (e.g. supermarkets, pharmacies, clinics) and lifeline utilities
- Rationing of supplies and requisitioning of facilities
- Travel severely limited
- Major reprioritisation of healthcare services
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