Coronavirus could become an election issue

Should we be worried about the coronavirus? And what about the Government? People are looking to it to be a safe pair of hands. It’s the sort of issue that could make or break a Government in an election year.

News that Air New Zealand and Qantas have suspended flights to China will be a relief to many, particularly parents, but also the elderly, who are most at risk. But the heat will go on our government for further measures after Australia followed the lead of the US and other countries in denying entry to travellers who have left or passed through mainland China. There wasn’t the same sense of urgency at a Ministry of Health briefing in Wellington earlier yesterday when officials would not be pinned down on the need for more stringent border controls.

Regardless, the economic shocks could reverberate for some time.

So far there is no reason to panic; New Zealand is yet to record its first case though, as officials say, it is only a matter of time. Parallels are being drawn with the 2003 Sars epidemic, and it is worth remembering that New Zealand reported just one probable Sars case. The economy took a hit, but it was not catastrophic.

That was then, this is now. China’s economy is 10 times larger, and our economic dependence on China has grown astronomically. Exports, tourism, the services sector and the $5 billion-a-year international student industry will all take a hit.

But Sars also happened before the rise of social media and its extraordinary reach – with which comes an alarming ability to sow widespread fear and misinformation.

There are reports already of facemasks and hand sanitisers selling out; social media claims sparked a run on Dettol.

It’s when the fear affects other decisions – like travel, dining out, or the myriad other things that keep the economy ticking along, that we should be concerned.

So while the Government’s response has to be proportionate to the level of risk, it must also be mindful of the potential for fear and panic to race out of control.

It’s going to be a tricky balancing act – and even more so in an election year.