New Zealand isn’t messing around when it comes to COVID-19. The country recently went into full lockdown mode after reporting one COVID-19 case, per Reuters.
Why did New Zealand go into lockdown?
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said this week that the country will go into lockdown after confirming one coronavirus case, which was the first locally transmitted case in the country since February 2021, according to CNN.
- Ardern said officials believe the case is from the delta variant. Officials are conducting sequencing to confirm whether that’s true.
What happens in a New Zealand lockdown?
According to CNN, New Zealand’s lockdown will be strict for the next three days.
- Everyone has been asked to stay home.
- Businesses will be closed — except for essential items, which can be found at supermarkets and pharmacies.
Why is New Zealand going into lockdown?
New Zealand has tried to keep the coronavirus out of its country since the beginning of the pandemic. Per Fox News, the country has been successful at doing so.
- However, Ardern warned the delta variant could create a drastic situation in the country compared to previous outbreaks.
It doesn’t help that New Zealand’s vaccination rate isn’t high. So far, about 32% of New Zealand has had one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine and 18% have been fully vaccinated, according to Fox News.
- For contrast, 59.8% of people in the United States have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 50.8% have been fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.