The Covid-19 Protection Framework
Miryam Clough · 2025
Chapter 1 outlines the progress of the pandemic in New Zealand, New Zealand’s response to it, and the lead-up to the implementation of the Covid-19 Protection Framework. It considers the practical implications of the Framework and the effects of it on the population. New Zealand’s polarisation under the Framework was evident on micro- and macro-levels. Disagreement over mandates, through which many New Zealanders lost their jobs or were excluded from other key aspects of society, saw families divided and friendships disrupted. While many lost jobs, mandates did little to boost vaccination rates. This chapter sets the scene for the discussion that follows.