Some countries have shown more success than others in keeping the spread of coronavirus under control, such as Hong Kong, which closed its borders last month before cases began to exponentially multiply.
Hong Kong has 208 cases in a population of about seven million people. Conversely, Italy, with a population of about 60 million people has seen cases of the virus soar to over 41,000, according to the coronavirus-tracking map from John Hopkins University.
In light of this, New Zealand scientist Dr Michelle Dickinson says that if Kiwis take Covid-19 seriously and follow proper precautions, they are in a better place to stop the exponential growth curve.
She says the Government closing New Zealand’s borders to tourists when we have relatively few infections and no community transmission was the right move.
“We all have the responsibility to stop Italy from happening. All of these things are happening because we are transmitting the virus.
“If New Zealanders wash their hands and keep their two-metres distance we are actually living in a country where we could not be Italy, by not having it transmit.”
Dr Dickinson says Italy’s situation arose because people “didn’t take it seriously” and it caused an exponential growth curve.
"We have to listen to the advice the Government is giving us,” she says.
She says as soon as people stop spreading the virus by following the guidelines, the less likely it is to return next year.
Ms Dickinson says a vaccine is on the table but is a long way off.
“Lots of scientists are working on a vaccine,” she says but it will still take 12-18 months to go through the development and manufacturing stages.
SHARE ME