One of two hotels in Rotorua for quarantining overseas arrivals. Like most, I assumed testing for Covid-19 during quarantine was happening already, says Vaughan Gunson. Photo / NZME
One of two hotels in Rotorua for quarantining overseas arrivals. Like most, I assumed testing for Covid-19 during quarantine was happening already, says Vaughan Gunson. Photo / NZME
LIFE AND POLITICS
It's not my inclination to write a column calling for heads to roll when something goes wrong inside the government.
I'm not comfortable jumping on that particular high horse. Especially when I'm only writing words, with hardly the same level of responsibility that other people have in their daily jobs.
With that said, however, I was angry when I found out people coming into the country weren't all being tested for Covid-19 while in isolation.
Really? You're joking? Who's the idiot that let that happen? And so on.
Like probably the entire country, I just assumed that was what was happening. It's the most obvious thing to do. Particularly as many people are going to be asymptomatic carriers of the virus.
I personally know one person who wasn't tested while in quarantine (who subsequently got a test and was found to be Covid-free).
If testing wasn't universal, there must be some risk the virus has got through into the community again.
The small number of returning New Zealanders now being identified with the virus raises concern. What if those weeks of no new Covid-19 cases was due to inadequate testing of people in quarantine?
It's still not clear where the responsibility lies. Was it not stressed by those at the top of the Ministry of Health that everyone should be tested?
Housing Minister Megan Woods has been given the job of overseeing border isolation and quarantine operations. Photo / File
That would seem to be the case, because Megan Woods, who has now been given ministerial oversight of border isolation and quarantine operations, immediately talked about a "new" regime where everyone is tested.
Whoever and wherever the previous gaps originated, we can at least be thankful they're now being closed. Though we must wait a week or two to be sure there's no evidence of renewed community spread.
Like most New Zealanders, I believe the Government has largely done a good job in response to a pandemic that's clearly worsening around the world.
Given what we've achieved, we should be trying to keep Covid-19 out completely, forever. That's my view at least.
Which is where the politicians have to come in. In government or in opposition, they have to be clear about whether they're committed to maintaining a policy of elimination, or not.
To stay Covid-free and enjoy the freedom of movement we now have, will require rigorous testing and strict quarantining at the border for who knows how long.
Cartoonist Rod Emmerson's take on the two new Covid-19 cases that surfaced from a massive failing at the Ministry of Health quarantine border last week.
A recent study out of Wuhan suggested that people who have experienced Covid-19 aren't developing immunity. That has possible implications for the development of a successful vaccine.
The recent issues with testing have highlighted to us all what's at stake. And raised the question: what exactly are we trying to achieve long term?
Individuals can stuff up the implementation of a policy, being human and prone to making mistakes, but getting the policy "right" in the first place is the most important thing. That will come down to how each of us weighs up the pros and cons, and feeds that back to the politicians through public opinion and, ultimately, at the ballot box.
I'm for universal testing and quarantining at the border. We can recreate a sustainable economy without large numbers of tourists and overseas students.
Others may have a different view and favour moving to a looser regime at the border that might allow those industries to operate at some level again. That will mean accepting a greater health risk.
The same trade-off is involved in moving to a transtasman bubble. Australia hasn't achieved the elimination of Covid-19 and, let's be clear, isn't pursuing that goal.
Our politicians need to be responsible and not hold up the false mirage of having it both ways.
And media commentators should exercise some restraint here as well. It's easy to generate a headline criticising the Government for being too strict one day and then too lax on another.
That's not a responsible way to contribute to the ongoing debates we need to have about how this country exists in a Covid-19 world.
• Northern Advocate columnist Vaughan Gunson writes about life and politics
