Jacinda Ardern says it's not fair to suggest there should be an airtight border to keep Covid-19 out.
The Prime Minister told TVNZ1's Breakfast this morning that New Zealand went longer than any other country to eliminate the virus, but that every other country that had done so at some point too saw a resurgence.
"Setting up a hermetically sealed border is a very difficult thing to do - it is a virus, and so that is probably one of the reasons why New Zealand to date is the only country, the only country that made it to 102 days," she said.
"Every other single country in the world has experienced, who has had Covid, has experienced resurgence. We went longer than many, our outbreak is certainly not as significant as what we are seeing in Vietnam, in Hong Kong, in South Korea or in Australia.
"I don't think it's fair to say that what we are doing with our resurgence plan isn't the right one or the fact that it would be possible to have a system that allowed nothing through, that's why we've been prepared."
Ms Ardern said the source of the current outbreak had not yet been identified, but she said "we will keep hunting". However, while the source may never be known and elimination is still possible, she said it would be helpful.
Meanwhile, Covid-19 testing of staff at New Zealand's border has now been completed.
Ms Ardern acknowledged there were gaps despite testing being offered in early July.
"I have acknowledged that we were told that there was some reluctance from staff so we did know that, and I say that not to place blame anywhere.
"One of the concerns here, and we're seeing this in the reaction to Covid, that some people who are ill, the way that some people are being treated, and this is one of the things I'll say, if we want to have a system where people openly get tested and aren't afraid to, where people are supported if they are found to be unwell, we really have to make sure that people don't feel that they're vilified or risk losing their job if they have Covid.
"I really ask for the public's help here. I've seen some of the reaction online to those positive cases - this is not their fault and we should never treat it that way. In fact, when we do that it hampers our ability to keep up that regular testing, it makes people reluctant and we do not need that."
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