In an attempt to appear decisive and in control, Prime Minister Ardern has made claims about the restrictions her government has put in place that are pure hyperbole. To be frank, if her claims were buckets they would not hold water.
It will be the strictest border restriction rules in the world, Arden said.
“Alongside Israel and a small number of pacific islands who have effectively closed their borders this decision will mean New Zealand will have the widest ranging and toughest border restrictions of any country in the world,” Ardern said.
I am actually being too kind describing the Prime Minister’s claim as hyperbole. If you fact check her claim that her policy is the “widest ranging and toughest border restrictions of any country in the world” you can only come to the conclusion that it is a complete falsehood.
New Zealand’s so-called “strictest border restriction rules in the world” are as follows:
From March 15, any person travelling into New Zealand from overseas, including New Zealand citizens, are required to self-isolate for 14 days following entry unless they are coming from the Pacific Islands. However if they are displaying symptoms they will not be allowed in. All cruise ships have been banned from entry into New Zealand until June 30.
Travel restrictions apply to any foreigners who:
- have been present in, or transited through, Iran or mainland China 14 days prior to them departing for New Zealand. Mainland China includes all of China, but not Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR, and not Taiwan.
- were a passenger or crew on board the Diamond Princess Cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises within 14 days of disembarking from the cruise ship.
Other countries have put in place much tougher restrictions than New Zealand. Other countries are actually closing their national borders. For example, I know of two New Zealanders currently inside Israel who are not allowed to leave right now.
Trump has closed America’s borders to most countries and will soon be reviewing even those few currently allowed access. Compare and contrast the following border restriction rules from other countries to the ones that Prime Minister Ardern has announced.
- On Sunday the government in Cyprus has announced that only its citizens, along with other Europeans working on the island and people with special permits will be allowed into the country for a 15-day period.
- The Czech Republic partially closed its borders on 14 March and will have closed its borders to all nonresidents by 16 March.
- Denmark closed its borders to all noncitizens on March 14 and has included a ban on crossing the border for all tourism, travel, and vacations.
- India from March 13 suspended all tourist visas and OCI entries were suspended until at least April 15, while holders of these visas who were already in the country can stay. They also tightened/closed their border with neighbouring countries. India also mandated a 14-day quarantine for citizens returning from seven countries: China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Spain.
- Lithuania has closed the border to foreigners, except for those with residence permits, effective from March 16.
- North Korea: Closed its borders to all international tourists. Chinese visitors make up the bulk of foreign tourists to North Korea. They have also tightened/closed their border with mainland China.
- Oman: Suspended tourist visas for all visitors, effective March 15, for 1 month.
- Poland: From March 15 for a 10 days there is an entry ban for all foreigners, except for those possessing residence or work permits, and 14 days quarantine on its citizens returning home.
- Slovakia: Closed its borders to all nonresidents. Will close international airports and require all residents returning from abroad to quarantine. Violators may be fined up to 1659 EUR.
- Suriname: Will close its borders for all persons and flights starting March 14.
- Ukraine: From March 15, Ukraine will close its borders for foreigners for two weeks.
- Vietnam: Vietnam has announced that from 15 March all foreign nationals will be refused entry to Vietnam if in the previous 14 days they have been to the UK, or any Schengen country, even in transit. This restriction will be in place for 30 days.
The one question that will be on everyone’s lips regarding Ardern’s”widest ranging and toughest border restrictions of any country in the world” is what exactly does “self-isolation” actually mean? Most people live with at least one other person. If they self-isolate in the family home and don’t go to work, the other person will still be going to work and be out and about in society. Only a proper quarantine, like the one done not so long ago with travellers from Wuhan at the Army base close to where I live in Whangaparaoa, will actually prevent the spread of the virus.
Self-isolation is not a real or an effective way to stop the spread of the virus. Only a proper quarantine can do that. She hasn’t even offered proper quarantine facilities for those who actually have been diagnosed with the virus. The last thing we need is these people coming into our hospitals and spreading it to all the other sick people. They need to be cared for inside a facility specially set up for them only.
The rest home industry is at huge risk because of this. All it will take is for one of their people to be returned to them after a hospital visit for something else and it will spread like wildfire throughout the rest home. The carnage will be extreme as they are the most at-risk age group.
Rest home owners can restrict visitor entry and can even go into complete lockdown to protect their customers but they will have to take anyone who has been to hospital back, regardless of whether or not they are or may have been infected while there. It is ticking timebomb for the rest home industry. Already in America, one rest home has had 13 people die from the virus
Ardern’s announcement was a masterclass in PR puffery and it will please the fans. In reality though, it is not an example of strong leadership and, far from going “hard and early”, she has acted late and with kid gloves in comparison to the rest of the world.
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