COVID-19 pandemic on Norfolk Island
_(Polynesia_centered).svg)
Cases of infection from a COVID-19 pandemic on Norfolk Island have not yet occurred (as of June 23, 2020) and yet Norfolk Island has declared a state of emergency because of this.
This island in the Pacific is a self-governing outer area of Australia , which has been seeking protection from the impending pandemic since March 16, 2020 by means of a strict lockdown , which will be relaxed on May 1 and lifted on June 30, 2020 should. The island's borders will not open until July 10, 2020 , parallel to the opening of Queensland .
background
The Norfolk Island pandemic occurs as part of the global COVID-19 pandemic that started in China in December 2019. The pandemic affects the novel disease COVID-19 . This is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus from the Coronaviridae group and belongs to the group of respiratory diseases . From March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the outbreak of the novel coronavirus as a global pandemic .
Location of the island
The 35 square kilometer and remote Norfolk Island is located in the Pacific Ocean south of New Caledonia , north of New Zealand and 1,400 kilometers east of the continent of Australia .
The outer area had its own parliament, the so-called Norfolk Legislative Assembly , until 2016 . The self-government was abolished by Australia on June 30, 2016 and brought under the laws of the state of New South Wales , which is opposed by the majority of the population of the island. Since then, the island has been administered by the Norfolk Island Regional Council with an administrator.
There is a small clinic on the island with around 1750 inhabitants, but it does not have treatment capacity in the event of an epidemic, according to administrator Eric Hutchinson .
activities
When a voluntary 14-day quarantine for suspected COVID-19 was ordered for 22 passengers after an aircraft landed from Brisbane, Australia , an emergency was imposed on the island on March 17, 2020 with entry bans. The rules, which are much stricter than Australia, were established by the administrator Hutchinson with the average age of the islanders, which is higher than the Australian average.
From March 17th, all travelers must be quarantined for 14 days. Only a limited number of Air Chathams and Air New Zealand flights with returning island residents had been allowed until March 30, 2020. Exceptions were made for nursing staff and essential service providers, and in individual cases for medical emergency flights to Australia. Since the islanders initially did not adhere to the regulations of the decreed Lockdow with social distance and prohibition of community events, fines of 1000 AUD or imprisonment were announced for violations . With the imposed state of emergency, only one person per household was allowed to buy groceries or medicines every day. Only shops that offer essential or essential products are open. Tourists can no longer enter Norfolk Island, cruise ships and cargo ships are no longer allowed to dock and all arriving air passengers have been checked for health by border security personnel and have been quarantined.
On April 21, the lockdown was extended until June 30, until further notice.
On May 1, 2020, the easing of the lockdown came into force. Entering business premises is permitted if a space of four square meters is possible for each person. This also applies to restaurants, bars and clubs, whereby the owner is responsible for maintaining the prescribed space. Outdoor events are possible for up to 50 people if there is a distance of one and a half meters between the people. So-called “Social Distancing Ambassadors” were used by the island administration to check the regulations on social distance. These ambassadors always appear in pairs, dressed in a short-sleeved shirt that is designed in the local Aatuti pattern. They have placed a wreath of flowers around their necks . They are supposed to inform the island population and the open shops in a relaxed way about the distance rules and monitor them. On May 5th, a further relaxation came into force and people are now allowed to enter restaurants, cafes and clubs without restrictions. This was justified by the fact that no cases of infection had occurred since the start of the lockdown.
Economic consequences
Since the economy of the Norfolk Island depends on tourism and the population of the island voted against a merger with Australia about five years before the pandemic, locals fear no economic support from Australia and the decline of their economy. The administration of the Norfolk Island tried in coordination with the Australian government to agree on a financial package of measures to support residents, because between Australia and the Norfolk Island there is only a Memorandum of Understanding regarding medical aid and education. On May 1, 2020, the Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transportation, Regional Development and Communications announced that companies and individuals who run a business and are experiencing economic difficulties due to the Norfolk Island COVID-19 pandemic can apply for assistance . Employees who have become unemployed also receive support.
Web links
- World Health Organization (WHO): Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation reports on the website www.who.int (English)
- Johns Hopkins CSSE : Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases. (English)
- Website World of Meters : real-time data of the Corona virus pandemic (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Norfolk Island has been declared a state of emergency in response to COVID-19 . In: Norfolkisland undated, accessed April 21, 2020
- ↑ Norfolk Island has been declared a state of emergency in response to COVID-19 . In: Norfolkisland undated, accessed June 22, 2020
- ↑ Pulmonologists on the net: Covid-19: Causes . Online at www.lungenaerzte-im-netz.de. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
- ↑ Tagesschau: "Deeply worried". WHO speaks of corona pandemic . March 11, 2020. Online at www.tagesschau.de. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
- ↑ Andreas Stummer: Norfolk Island loses self-government - Is there a threat of mutiny on Bounty Island? . In: Deutschlandfunk Kultur from June 28, 2016
- ↑ a b c Coronavirus fears on Norfolk Island prompt travel ban as state of emergency declared . In: Australian Broadcasting Corporation of March 17, 2020
- ↑ Stephan Gibbs: The one place in Australia where you WILL go to jail if you step outside your door - as top cop takes the country's most no-nonsense approach to the COVID-19 lockdown . In: Mail Online from April 7, 2020
- ^ Coronavirus response — travel ban . In: Administrator of Norfolk Island, March 17, 2010
- ↑ Norfolk Island has been declared a state of emergency in response to COVID-19 . In: Norfolkisland of April 21, 2020
- ↑ Risk Matrix Update (PDF). In: EMNI of April 24, 2020
- ^ Social Distancing Ambassadors . In: Norfolk Online News, May 1, 2020
- ↑ Jessie Davies: Norfolk Island lifts coronavirus lockdown measures to allow dining in cafes, restaurants and clubs . In: Australian Broadcasting Corporation of May 5, 2020
- ↑ Melissa Davey: 'We're not Australian': Norfolk Islanders adjust to shock of takeover by mainland . In: The Guardian of May 21, 2015
- ↑ COVID-19 economic stimulus FAQ . In: Regional from May 1, 2020
