Coronavirus Latest: New Zealand Makes Headway In Bringing Life Back To Normal

Saturday, 18 April 2020, 11:46 am
Press Release: Kalkine

New Zealand is buzzing with the hope of early economic restoration, while the nation is gradually showing signs of drifting towards the safer harbor amidst receding infection cases.

Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters in a statement on Thursday stated that the data currently ‘points to the easing up of the situation’. He further expects ‘a whole lot’ of businesses to reopen under the guidelines. Attempts at re-opening parts of the economy would allow enterprises to operate effectively without any requirements of face-to-face contact.

Elaborating on the highly anticipated ‘Life under Alert Level 3’, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern indicated on 16 April 2020 that with lifting of the lockdown, many businesses are expected to return to service in adherence to the directives issued for ensuring safety requirements and hygiene measures.

The optimistic news has rekindled hopes of the businesses towards reviving their operations. However, it is important to note that due to the high-risk of virus’ bounce back’, level 3 has reportedly been structured as a gradual and progressive system for bringing the life back to normal.

New Zealand so far appears to be doing well on flattening the Covid-19 curve, curtailing the exponential rise of virus cases. The Ministry of Health updated 15 new cases, including six confirmed and nine probable cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total infection cases to 1401 as at 9 a.m. on 16 April 2020. On the positive side, the country has seen 42 more recoveries that makes the total count of Covid-19 recoveries to 770 cases, fostering hopes among people.

Cloud-Based Solution And Online Delivery Demands On A Roll

The new trend of remote working and online shopping is receiving a strong push amidst lockdown and precautionary self-isolation measures. Many businesses are thus actively taking initiatives to shape their products and services in accordance with the current market needs, given the lockdown scenario.

In the wake of growing business needs for a cloud-based solution, employment solutions provider, PaySauce Limited (NZX: PYS) has launched a streamlined version of its payroll software. It can reportedly be utilized by the New Zealand employers free of cost till 30 June 2020.

PYS stock has soared by 52.5% from $0.40 on 14 April to settling at $0.61 on 17 April.

Meanwhile, Countdown, a subsidiary of Woolworths New Zealand, has launched its first purpose-built online store in New Zealand which would service 24*7. The new solutions seem to be well-placed to tap the growing market opportunity amidst the lockdown.

Already Downsized Media Coping With The Brunt Of Covid-19

The spillover effects of the economic slowdown are massively felt by various sectors, including media space witnessing widespread layoff. The country so far has done a fantastic job in squashing the Covid-19. Yet, the success to sustain the democratic pillar remains debatable in the face of media-related job losses prompted by the fall in revenues.

Troubled by the plummeting advertising revenue, which is expected to be 50% lower this month compared to April 2019, the media company NZME carried out 15% cut in the workforce by slashing 200 jobs. Meanwhile, the shutdown of the NZ operations of Bauer Media Group has led to the loss of 237 jobs in the country.

In order to address the ongoing media-distress, Parliament’s Epidemic Response Committee discussed the impact of Covid-19 on the media companies on 15 April 2020.

The former New Zealand Herald editor Gavin Ellis hinted on the future contractions of the media industry by pinpointing the issue of social media giants, Facebook and Google, syphoning money off media companies.

However, responding to the range of issues raised concerning the sustenance of the traditional media, Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister Kris Faafoi indicated that some good news is to be released for the media companies soon; Faafoi maintained the details undisclosed.

While we are closely eyeing the government’s final decision on easing/lifting/extending the strict lockdown measures on Monday, FM Grant Robertson has warned against expecting a major shift in the current restrictions.

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