Cometh a behemoth
‘Prepare for winter,” the Prime Minister intoned, perhaps not meaning to invoke a Game of Thrones sense of dread – but it has been hard to ignore the cold front looming between two hitherto allied tribes: epidemiologists and the Cabinet.
As pandemic modellers produce ever more alarming projections of Omicron’s potential spread and death toll, ministers are increasingly displaying what bureaucrats like to call “pushback”.
Last week, Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins said he thought of epidemiologists as being like weather forecasters. “I’ve always been pretty sceptical about the models.” This week, with the latest projection predicting a million-plus infections and 500-plus deaths, Health Minister
You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.
Start your free 30 days