Job done, now on to the next

After six weeks in levels 3 and 4 we are now moving to level 2, probably for two weeks — and presumably to level 1 after that, which I expect means “normal” life in NZ with closed borders.

We have sustained 21 deaths to date and only have about 100 live infections left. We have dodged a huge bullet which Europe and North America have not. We should take a while to reflect. At one stage, New Zealand was on the same trajectory as Italy.

There has been an economic cost but this approach to the health crisis has given the economy the best chance to bounce back. Fixing the health crisis was the best way to fix the economic crisis.

We should thank our professional health leaders (Ashley Bloomfield reminds me of Kane Williamson: quietly spoken, modest and calmly capable) for instilling confidence, and our political leaders for sensibly listening to the advice.

Now we need to focus on the economic recovery which will be led by the primary sector, illustrating once again that producing food is something we do very well, and will be linked to the recovering economies of eastern Asia.

Bruce Adin, Red Beach.

I never thought I would say this but thank God for taxes and honest politicians.

They saw us through the Christchurch and Kaiko¯ura earthquakes and may well see through the pandemic with the direst of economic outcomes yet to come.

The United Nations heaped praise on Jacinda and her team and let us not forget John Key and Bill English’s handling of the Christchurch disaster. When you combine those two with Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson, the four of them have done more than to restore trust in politicians in New Zealand’s history, and even turn the Aussies pea-green with envy.

Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.