Member-only story
How New Zealand Wins the Pandemic
What happens in New Zealand when exposed to Delta? Here’s what happened to me.
Four minutes was all it took
I live near a cluster. For that reason, we usually shop further away, but the invisible tether to my work-from-home job is short. I only needed two things at the pharmacy — get in, get out.
When I arrived at the mall, I scanned the QR code at the entrance. Every business, by law, posts a scannable QR code. This tracks my location through the government NZ Covid Tracer app. The Ministry of Health records every location I visit outside my home, making contact tracing a breeze. In a country of 5 million people, 3.2 million loaded this app, with 2.7 million location scans per day. Voluntarily. I also left my Bluetooth on, another feature of the app that follows my movements. The government doesn’t monitor Bluetooth, but it can be reviewed to help in contact tracing later. Before entering the pharmacy, I scanned their QR code as well.
I wore a mask. Everyone does. Stores won’t allow you to enter without one. Free masks are provided at the entrance, but most people bring their own. I also wore silicone gloves. I’m a bit of a germaphobe.
I brought my purchases, a vitamin bottle and a box of allergy medication, to…