Some saying she ‘squashed’ the curve.
Here’s everything you need to know about Jacinda Ardern
By Kelly McLaughlin and Joey Hadden For Business Insider
photo: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, second from right, at high-school visit in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 20. AP Photo/Vincent Thian
The Washington Post praised Jacinda Ardern for her response to the coronavirus pandemic, which included putting New Zealand on a month-long lockdown beginning March 25. New Zealand also closed its borders on March 20, denying entry into New Zealand to everyone who is not a citizen, resident, or close family member of a citizen or resident.
The number of confirmed cases decreased for consecutive days beginning April 4.
This isn’t the first time Ardern, the leader of New Zealand’s Labour Party, has been praised for her efforts — since taking office she has fought against sexism, led gun reform policies, and tried to normalize being a working mother in politics.
Here’s everything you need to know about the prime minister:
New Zealand went into a month-long lockdown on March 25 after closing its borders on March 20, and since then the nation’s number of confirmed coronavirus cases has fallen.
On April 3, there were 1,160 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Then for two days in a row, new case numbers fell despite more testing. On April 15, there were 1,078 cases in New Zealand, a nation of about 5 million people.
Ardern also said in a news conference on April 15 that she’s taking a 20% pay cut for the next six months along with her cabinet because of the pandemic’s effect on the economy.