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Chris Hipkins Shares REGRETS about Covid Lockdowns

April 10, 2025 / 00:59

This episode discusses the handling of COVID-19 restrictions in Oakland and New Zealand, focusing on the decisions made regarding lockdowns and border policies.

The conversation highlights the retrospective thoughts on the final lockdown in Oakland, where the speaker believes more freedom could have been allowed within the city while maintaining the boundary to prevent spread.

It also addresses the international border reopening plan, which was followed even as COVID-19 spread within New Zealand, suggesting that a more flexible approach might have been beneficial.

Overall, the speaker reflects on the challenges of managing the pandemic response and the complexities of returning to normalcy.

TLDR

The episode reflects on COVID-19 lockdown decisions in Oakland and New Zealand, advocating for more flexibility in restrictions.

Episode

0:59

00:00:00

probably the two things where I think if I could go back and do them differently,

00:00:03

one would be how we treated Oakland at the end of final lockdown, I think we could have still had the boundary around

00:00:08

Oakland but given people more freedom within Oakland as long as people were staying in Oakland, not spreading around

00:00:13

the rest of the country. And then we probably could have released that boundary around Oakland earlier. And

00:00:16

then the international border, we had a plan around how we were going to reopen the border that stepped us through what

00:00:22

was a logical sequence. We brought that forward, but we stuck roughly to the plan even once CO was spreading within

00:00:28

the New Zealand community. And I think we probably should have been a bit more arbitrary when we were in the height of

00:00:33

co we were basically responsible for everything. It meant that we wanted everything to run smoothly and we

00:00:38

accepted responsibility for everything to run smoothly. When we got to the end co has started to spread. There came a

00:00:44

time when we had to release that and be like it's not our responsibility and if

00:00:48

things don't run smoothly that's not our responsibility either. It was impossible

00:00:51

to make that kind of return to normal a smooth journey. It was always going to be a bit bumpy and a bit messy.

Episode Highlights

Pandemic Decision-Making
Reflecting on the choices made during the pandemic and their consequences.
“We probably should have been a bit more arbitrary.”
@ 00m 29s
April 10, 2025
The Bumpy Road to Normalcy
Acknowledging the inevitable challenges in returning to normal after lockdowns.
“It was always going to be a bit bumpy and a bit messy.”
@ 00m 55s
April 10, 2025

Episode Quotes

We probably should have been a bit more arbitrary.
Chris Hipkins Shares REGRETS about Covid Lockdowns
It was always going to be a bit bumpy and a bit messy.
Chris Hipkins Shares REGRETS about Covid Lockdowns

Key Moments

Reopening plans00:16
Responsibility shift00:44
Accepting messiness00:55