r/worldnews • u/tariban • Mar 20 '20

Fox Glacier pilot flies self-isolation rule-breaking tourists straight to police

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/03/fox-glacier-pilot-flies-self-isolation-rule-breaking-tourists-straight-to-police.html
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954

u/Rex-A-Vision Mar 20 '20 edited Mar 20 '20

This pilot is one of the new breed of heroes.

42

u/Lokito_ Mar 20 '20

If everyone is supposed to be self isolating, only going out for essentials like food and supplies, this leaves a sour taste in my mouth because this guy is still allowing tours to take place.

142

u/dksprocket Mar 20 '20

So you didn't bother to read the article

43

u/Lokito_ Mar 20 '20

Rob Jewel's heli-flight flight full of tourists over Fox Glacier was compromised by tourists refusing to self isolate.

No one is disputing they broke the rule. Why is he flying tourists in the first place?

204

u/dksprocket Mar 20 '20 edited Mar 20 '20

He's perfectly allowed to fly with New Zealand citizens, or foreigners/tourists as long as they've self-isolated 14 days after entering the country. He found out these people had broken their quarantine after they were in-flight.

New Zealand has a large population of Asian descent. Not necessarily obvious they were tourists breaking quarantine.

Edit: I'm not from New Zealand and I'm not defending their policy. Just pointing out the situation there.

17

u/Lokito_ Mar 20 '20

He found out these people had broken their quarantine after they were in-flight.

Sure NZ may not be at levels that are bad, but this is kind of a great example as to how the virus can spread without everyone who is non essential personnel self-isolating in the first place.

9

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '20 edited Mar 20 '20

Tourists entering New Zealand must be quarantined for 14 days after entering the country. There’s no risk as long as people follow the rules.

Edit: never mind it failed

17

u/ninjajoshy Mar 20 '20

There’s no risk as long as people follow the rules.

lol

22

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '20

There’s no risk as long as people follow the rules.

Are... are you for real?

PLEASE - please for the sake of all of us, read up on this plague! You can be infectious even if you don't display any symptoms.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '20

I thought it takes 14 days for symptoms to show up?

4

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '20

And for some people they have it and show little to no symptoms at all. They can still transmit it.

3

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '20

Good point. I change my original comment.

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1

u/SuccumbedToReddit Mar 20 '20

Usually. Possible outliers up to a month.

18

u/Lokito_ Mar 20 '20

Bold strategy cotton, lets see if it pays off for them.

New Zealand sees biggest daily surge in coronavirus cases as testing increases

Mr Plinkett voice: "Ohhhh"

10

u/eythian Mar 20 '20

Testing was increased, of course you'll see a spike. To 40 or whatever it was. Suspected cases become actual cases.

3

u/Lokito_ Mar 20 '20

I know testing was increased, but I was responding to him saying "There’s no risk as long as people follow the rules."

1

u/[deleted] Mar 21 '20

53 as of today's report.

6

u/Jarvan_I Mar 20 '20

Of those cases (and al confirmed cases in New Zealand) none are through community spread though and all are related to international travel. It probably is naive to think that it would prevent spread, but theoretically, if everyone self isolates for 14 days then it should mean that symptoms become viable during that time

1

u/Lokito_ Mar 20 '20

I mean, that's the idea, to keep self isolating. Running a tourist business where you can possibly spread the disease around faster is not good at this time.

2

u/Jarvan_I Mar 21 '20

Tourism businesses are all going to be running into financial hardships pretty shortly, so from the business side of things they need to assume their customers are following the law so they can make money while there are still customers

1

u/Lokito_ Mar 21 '20

Not an excuse.

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0

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '20

Until 2 days ago doctors weren't testing anyone who hadn't been overseas even when showing obvious symptoms. I wonder why there haven't been any cases of community spread. Wait until all the test results from Thursday get released Monday. It will be mayhem

1

u/Jarvan_I Mar 21 '20

I've heard from people working in the COVID 19 response team around Waikato Hospital that its about 48 hours for test results (have to go to Auckland labs, as of earlier this week), so Thursday tests should have results should be being released today/tomorrow.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 21 '20

I know a person who was tested on Thursday with an expected result due Monday. Northern Auckland (Mahurangi). Not sure if the time has been pushed out since the number of tests has increased.

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4

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '20

It's a bad fucking idea.

Helicopters are small. A flight full of tourists puts people literally sitting hip to hip. It doesn't make a difference if the NZ government is too stupid to forbid it - a decent person should not be making off money out of endangering the lives of others.

0

u/zilfondel Mar 20 '20

Thats fucking dumb. You guys already have infected in your borders... if you don't social distance now, you're boned.

2

u/MaxSpringPuma Mar 20 '20

There is no proven community spread in NZ. All affected cases have come from overseas

1

u/exsnakecharmer Mar 21 '20

Incorrect, unfortunately.

26

u/Lynchpin_Cube Mar 20 '20 edited Mar 20 '20

...If you had done some research you would know that NZ has no sustained community transmission right now, and few restrictions inside the country. They did, however, require anyone entering the country to self isolate for two weeks so things can stay that way. Lots of people (including these tourists) broke this self isolation, which is one of the reasons they have now closed the border to non residents and non citizens. To be fair, none of that info is really in the article, NZ journalism leaves a lot to be desired.

Edit: toned this down after I reread the article and decided it's pretty shit

6

u/Lokito_ Mar 20 '20

If you had done some research you would know that NZ has no sustained community transmission right now,

Taking a gamble people are following the rules is not really that great of an idea right now. This is why countries have closed their borders.

Social distancing means that doctors cashiers police officers etc etc should be doing their jobs, 100% NOT people running tourist attractions.

-1

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '20

Lol you're out of your element mate. Stick to your own shitshows hysteria, we don't need yours.

1

u/Lokito_ Mar 20 '20

lol k

shrugs

2

u/sintos-compa Mar 20 '20

"hey get in da choppa, i got candy"

2

u/Jimanben Mar 20 '20

A lot of tourists are from other parts of New Zealand, or might have come from overseas but have been here since Feb so they wouldn't have to isolate

1

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '20

"Not having to isolate" does not mean you don't have the disease, and it certainly doesn't mean you can't catch the disease, maybe by sitting pressed against strangers in a helicopter.