Mike Hosking: Covid 19 coronavirus community cases leave unanswered questions

Opinion

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COMMENT:

Is there a sinking feeling? I think so.

The international media have been interesting overnight. One headline had "New Zealand's Covid Freak Out". In other words, it's an awfully strong reaction to four cases.

Another headline called it the end of a golden run.

It does seem a massive reaction. If you're waking up in Timaru, Westport, Nelson, Napier, or New Plymouth this morning, why are you in level 2? Do you even remember what level 2 is? Is it really worth level 3 for Auckland and all the businesses that close that really can't afford to?

It also lends weight to the questions being asked these past few days. Just why, when we were celebrating 100 days of no community transmission, was the Government launching yes to the test, telling us to buy masks, and that we were running short of elastic?

There was suspicion that proved correct. Did they know something was wrong and didn't tell us?

I see a bit of a mess coming. Regionality, given it's new, will lead to the old 6000 inane questions. The introduction of masks in different levels will confuse people around whether they're mandatory or voluntary. Will people start freaking out about distancing again? Where does Auckland start and stop? Do planes fly? Can you conduct business? Do you leave town for a short break in Taupō? Is the Super Rugby still on? What about the election campaign?

In broader terms, is the same reaction coming every time we get a handful of cases?

Jacinda Ardern and Ashley Bloomfield announce the transition back to lockdown level 3 in Auckland. Photo / File

The big question, of course, can we contact trace properly? PPE was a mess, the flu jab was a mess, if not a scandal as was uncovered this week. The war footing was a con, the Medical Association said we don't have a hope in hell of rolling out a Covid vaccine.

And the really big question: how did this happen? Think about it, the borders have been closed for months, everyone entering is put in an isolation facility. There should be, has been, no community transmission. Who cocked it up?

A big day of questions and a sense of depressing deja vu.