New Zealand’s

Response to
Covid-19
PUBH9005 - Leadership in Public Health
Master of Public Health
Villa College
15 August 2021
 Introduction
 The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global crisis.

 Countries implemented restrictions on population movement

- To slow the spread
- To prevent health systems becoming overwhelmed

(Han et al., 2020)

 Does leadership matter?
Effective leaders are considered one of the most pivotal resources for
organizations
-Both in times of normalcy and crisis
(Shufutinsky et al., 2020)

Good leadership can indeed make a real difference to both

organisations and societies
(Wilson, 2020)
 Does leadership matter? (cont.)

Normal modes of policymaking had to be abandoned

(Boin et al., 2020)

Leaders who succeed:

• Have the skills to adapt to the demands of the context when needed
• Know how to integrate diverse perspectives and demands
• Know when to provide direction
(Caligiuri et al., 2020)
 Timeline of New Zealand Government’s Response to
COVID-19

30th Jan 2020

Charter flight evacuate NZ from Wuhan
Passengers quarantined X 14 days 3rd Feb 2020
Entry restriction for foreign nations

28th Feb 2020

1st case reported
Entry restriction from Iran
2nd Mar 2020
Entry restriction from Italy and Korea
 Timeline of New Zealand Government’s Response to
COVID-19 (cont.)

5th Mar 2020

First local transmission
11th Mar 2020
WHO declared COVID-19 Pandemic

14th Mar 2020

Anyone entering NZ must self-isolate for 14 17th Mar 2020
days
Initial recovery package launched for health,
Passengers quarantined X 14 days
business and income support ($NZ12.1
Billion)
 Timeline of New Zealand Government’s Response to
COVID-19 (cont.)

19th Mar 2020

28 cases of COVID -19
Border closed
Indoor gathering > 100 : banned
21st Mar 2020
52 cases of COVID -19
Introduction of 4 level alert system
NZ placed @ level 2

23rd Mar 2020

Community transmission
NZ placed @ level 3 25th Mar 2020
Additional restrictions State of emergency declared
 Timeline of New Zealand Government’s Response to
COVID-19 (cont.)

26th Mar 2020

NZ placed @ level 3
Strict lockdown (for 7 wks) 27th Apr 2020
NZ placed @ level 3
Some Lockdown restriction eased

14th May 2020

NZ placed @ level 2
8th Jun 2020
No Active cases

(Jamieson, 2020)
 NZ Leadership in Managing Covid-19
 “Go Hard, Go Early” (Jamieson, 2020)

 Promote a common goal: reduce harm to lives and

livelihoods
 Be led by expertise
 Mobilize a collective effort
 Enable coping
 Developing creative responses. (Wilson, 2020)
Leadership
Style
 Political Leadership Style
 “Respond to challenges Effectively and Rapidity of
decision-making

 Quality of communication

 Compliance of the population

 Roots for solidarity

 Authentic Leadership Style
 Open and honest

 She’s aware of her strengths, but also acknowledges her weaknesses

 Showing positive emotions and raising optimism

 She listens to expert advice, and then acts on it

 Living out the values and beliefs in public manner

 Transformational Leadership Style

 She is a believer
- and is committed to doing what she believes is right
- even at considerable political risk.

 She inspires others to move forward with the

goal

 Adapt quickly and easily

Traits and
Qualities
 A. Honesty

 Successful running of organization or

country

 Certain leadership skill are essential

 B. Agility
 Ability to be agile in difficult situations is what makes a leader
stand out from the rest.

 Ardern proved her agility once again -

when four new cases reported after being
free from the virus for 101 days.
 C. Empathy
 An effective way to connect with followers or employees as
 It shows truly care for their well-being while inspiring them to
think of others

 Her ability
- to put herself in other people’s shoes
- and see things from their perspective
 is key to uniting people in a common goal.
 D. Resilient
 Her leadership:
 adopts a precautionary, science-led approach,
 coupled with a willingness to act quickly and decisively,
 creates the opportunity to pursue the bold ambition of securing
control over the virus,
 the noble ideal of saving lives
 and, supports the need to limit economic disruption.
 Pros
 Early intervention/ Timely action
 Expert opinion taken

 Public well informed:

 Formally
- Conferences with experts in the field
 Informally
- Facebook chats – relatable/ approachable
 Pros (cont.)
 Decisive actions
 Transparent and open communication
- building trust and respect
 Collective action
- from public-health institutions,
- opposition politicians,
- and New Zealanders as a whole.
 Unveiled “four-level alert system”
- preparing public for change mentally and physically
 Cons
Strategic decision making and crisis decision making are very
different,
 Abrupt action
- brought huge economic loss
 Accused of over reacting.
- Australia managed to reduce cases without severe
lockdown 
 Recommendations

 Unite Against COVID-19

 Effective Communication

 Adapting to an Evolving Situation

 Be more anticipatory
 References
1. BOIN, A., LODGE, M., LUESINK, M. J. P. D. & PRACTICE 2020. Learning from the COVID-19
crisis: an initial analysis of national responses. 3, 189-204.

2. CALIGIURI, P., DE CIERI, H., MINBAEVA, D., VERBEKE, A. & ZIMMERMANN, A. 2020.
International HRM insights for navigating the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for future research
and practice. Springer.

3. CHOI, K., GIRIDHARAN, N., CARTMELL, A., LUM, D., SIGNAL, L., PULOKA, V., CROSSIN,
R., GRAY, L., DAVIES, C. & BAKER, M. J. T. N. Z. M. J. 2021. Life during lockdown: a qualitative
study of low-income New Zealanders' experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. 134, 52-6.

4. HAN, E., TAN, M. M. J., TURK, E., SRIDHAR, D., LEUNG, G. M., SHIBUYA, K., ASGARI, N.,
OH, J., GARCÍA-BASTEIRO, A. L. & HANEFELD, J. J. T. L. 2020. Lessons learnt from easing
COVID-19 restrictions: an analysis of countries and regions in Asia Pacific and Europe.
 References (cont.)
5. JAMIESON, T. J. T. A. R. O. P. A. 2020. “Go Hard, Go Early”: Preliminary Lessons From New
Zealand’s Response to COVID-19. 50, 598-605.

6. SHUFUTINSKY, A., DEPORRES, D., LONG, B. & SIBEL, J. R. J. I. J. O. O. I. 2020. Shock

Leadership Development for the Modern Era of Pandemic Management and Preparedness. 13.

7. WILSON, S. J. L. 2020. Pandemic leadership: Lessons from New Zealand’s approach to COVID-
19. 16, 279-293.
Thank you!
Group Presentation by:

Aishath Shabeena
Jalala Abdul Qadir
Mohamed Faisal
Sarah Jamal