New Zealand‘s approach to handling the Covid-19 pandemic has been to err on the side of caution. The country went into a full national lockdown for the first time back in March 2020. Just a few months later, in June 2020, New Zealand eased lockdown measures and citizens were able to slowly return to normal life. At that time, the country didn’t have any cases of Covid-19.

The strict lockdown measures seemed to work for New Zealand, but the country was unable to remain free of Covid forever. A little over 14 months after easing lockdown restrictions, New Zealand is once again going back into full lockdown mode.

A 58-year-old man from Auckland, New Zealand, recently traveled to Coromandel, which is on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. While he was there, he started to feel sick. When he returned home to Auckland, his doctor tested him for Covid-19, and the test came back positive.

The man is now self-isolating at home. His wife has been vaccinated for Covid-19. She took a test and the results came back negative.

The man has not traveled outside the country, and there is no evidence that he has come into contact with anyone who has traveled outside the country. Health officials aren’t sure how he got Covid-19, and they are still trying to figure that out.

In response to this positive Covid-19 test, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Arden, has announced a nationwide lockdown that starts Tuesday at midnight. Residents will only be allowed to leave their homes for exercise, to go to the grocery store, to get tested for Covid, or for essential medical reasons including going to the pharmacy. In addition, residents must wear a face mask.

The lockdown will last for 3 days for the entire country, but it will last longer for Auckland (where the man who tested positive lives) and Coromandel (where he visited when he started showing symptoms).

In a briefing, Arden explained, “It means we need to again go hard and early to stop the spread. We have seen what can happen elsewhere if we fail to go on top of it. We only get one chance.” She added, “We’ve seen the dire consequences of taking too long to act in other countries.”

The lockdown is “level 4” which is the strictest lockdown level in New Zealand. Arden explained that she thought it was “better to start high and go down levels.”

How do you think the man in New Zealand got Covid? Do you think a full lockdown for one Covid case is a good idea or too strict?