Almost 4000 submissions received on Covid-19 response

As New Zealand marks the five-year anniversary of the country’s first Level 4 lockdown, the pandemic and the Government’s response to it remains a focus for many, Covid-19 Inquiry chairperson Grant Illingworth KC says.

New Zealand has recently marked a series of significant anniversaries.

February 28, 2020, saw the first Covid-19 case identified in New Zealand.

March 19, 2020, was the day the borders closed and March 25, 2020, was the day New Zealand entered Level 4 lockdown.

Five years on, the Covid-19 pandemic is still impacting many New Zealanders.

“The Covid-19 pandemic was an incredibly difficult time, and many people are still feeling the effects of the pandemic and the response to it, whether those be physical, emotional, or financial,” Illingworth says.

The ongoing effects of the pandemic and the response to it are clear in the public submissions received by Phase Two of the Inquiry, which is open for submissions.

The Inquiry has received close to 4000 submissions to date.

The use of lockdowns is a focus for many submitters, particularly those from the Auckland and Northland regions.

Vaccines, particularly the use of vaccine mandates, is also a focus of many submissions.

“We’re still seeing a high level of interest in the pandemic response in the Auckland and Northland region, with a high proportion of submissions coming from these areas,” Illingworth says.

The sentiment of submissions ranges widely, from those who are critical of the New Zealand Government’s response as a whole to those who are positive about the overall response, as well as many who hold mixed views about the response.

“It’s important for the Inquiry to hear from those who were impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of school closures, youth mental health, and other experiences unique to younger age groups,” Illingworth says.

The Inquiry has heard from a wide range of people, including a significant number of people with disabilities and with health conditions.

“We’ve heard from those people who experienced the pandemic as a disabled or ill person, those who describe their disability as being caused by an adverse reaction to the Covid-19 vaccine, and those who experience long Covid,” Illingworth says.

“Many of these people were highly impacted by the pandemic and the response to it.

“The more people we hear from, the better the picture we can build of the impacts of the pandemic and the response to it will be.”

Phase Two of the Covid-19 Inquiry is tasked with looking at the key decisions made by the New Zealand Government during 2021 and 2022 on vaccine mandates, safety, and approvals, the use of lockdowns, and testing, tracing, and non-pharmaceutical public health materials such as facemasks.

Some of these topics, like vaccine safety, were not included in Phase One of the Inquiry, while others build on the work of Phase One, such as lockdowns and mandates.

The overall purpose of the Covid-19 Inquiry is to review New Zealand’s response to the pandemic to help prepare for future pandemics.

“Our goal is to provide recommendations that can be understood by all New Zealanders to help build a strong response for the future.

“We need a well-organised, resilient, robust defence, and we need to be able to come together as a country to face future pandemics.”

The Inquiry will continue seeking evidence through public submissions, meetings with key decision-makers and advisers, and engagements with people impacted by the pandemic and the response to it.

Public submissions to the Inquiry are open until midnight on April 27.

Submissions can be made at www.covid19inquiry.nz or by calling 0800 500 306.

To find out more about the work of the Inquiry, visit https://www.covid19lessons.royalcommission.nz/.