Indian Newslink Leader for May 1, 2020 Issue
With New Zealand shifting down its Alert Level from Four to Three from Tuesday, April 28, 2020, there have been suggestions from some people that ‘the worst is over’ and that the government should open up all businesses.
But if the scenes at many drive-through fast-food outlets on the first day of Alert 3 are any indication, there is need for greater caution since a second wave of Coronavirus could be devastating as experienced elsewhere.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has described Alert Level 3 as ‘The Waiting Room,’ and that the move to Alert Level 2 would depend on a number of factors.
Simply put, it would depend on how we have between now and May 11, 2020 and more importantly, how Covid-19 behaves and moves.
The second wave fear
The declining rate of in reported cases on day-to-day basis places New Zealand on top of the world, but the fear is that the second wave of the virus cannot be ruled out as experienced by Singapore during over the past three weeks.
A majority of Indian Newslink readers and member of the Indian community believe that the country should have continued under Alert Level 4 for some more time (perhaps two more weeks) and then move to Alert Level 3.
Such opinions hold water during a health crisis, especially in dealing with a worldwide pandemic in which very little is known about the virus- how it catches on, how it spreads, how early or late the symptoms appear and the rate of its spread.
Countries that have either not taken adequate measures or have moved out of lockdown are experiencing the disastrous effects of their decision.
Many countries are now experiencing a second wave of the disease, and the situation is getting out of hand in some parts of Europe.
The risk is alive in New Zealand as well.
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