A New York Times piece has praised New Zealand and Australia for their handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, saying the approach of the Anzac nations is restoring trust in democracy.
The article by Damien Cave was published yesterday and is headlined 'Vanquish the Virus? Australia and New Zealand Aim to Show the Way'.
In it, Cave criticises US President Donald Trump's "combative press briefings" and hails New Zealand and Australia's non-political, expert-led approach to eliminating Covid-19.
"Whether they get to zero or not, what Australia and New Zealand have already accomplished is a remarkable cause for hope," he wrote.
"Scott Morrison of Australia, a conservative Christian, and Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s darling of the left, are both succeeding with throwback democracy — in which partisanship recedes, experts lead, and quiet coordination matters more than firing up the base."
However, he notes that the trans-Tasman neighbours need to be vigilant when relaxing restrictions that have seen Covid-19 cases dwindle to a handful of cases per day.
"Elimination means reducing infections to zero in a geographic area with continued measures to control any new outbreak, and that may require extended travel bans," he wrote.
"Other places that seemed to be keeping the virus at bay, such as China, Hong Kong and Singapore, have seen it rebound, usually with infections imported from overseas."
Cave believes if there are any countries that can defeat the virus, New Zealand and Australia are best placed to do so given the geographic locations of the countries and a "history of pragmatism and underdogs’ craving for recognition."
Today there were nine new cases of Covid-19 announced in New Zealand with a total of 1470 and a death toll of 18.
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