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One perspective to consider is the length of these restrictions. Other countries have had years of lockdowns and restrictions. New Zealanders were going to concerts while the world was in lockdown. Even if New Zealand's restrictions have been strict the restrictions have been intermittent and only in some regions

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This is true, but again I would compare restrictions relative to the severity of COVID outbreak.

Other countries have much longer/stronger restrictions, but they have also had much more severe outbreaks.

The government seems to be very slow to come around on changing their COVID strategy, especially given that the stakes are pretty low in NZ relative to other countries.

Isn’t the point to avoid severe outbreaks in the first place, and thereby not needing extensive periods of restrictions.

I think the perfect time would be when effective oral anti-virals are readily available, they are just around the corner. The average daily cases are increasing and the 4th/5th wave (depending on location) is ramping up now - exactly the wrong time for a country like NZ to change international quarantine.

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