Air Commodore Digby Webb had a quick aside in today& #39;s press conference with Minister Woods that was extremely important and easy to overlook.
It really points to the challenges and future of managed-isolation in NZ. /1

He said they& #39;ve been struggling with growing "asymmetry" between facilities stuck in Level 4 lockdown, by design, and a world outside their doors that has moved to Level 1.
While guests are locked up, they can probably hear nearby bars and the sounds of normal lives. /2

Worse. He added, they& #39;ve had to stop walks through downtown Auckland because of the amount of abuse being heaped on people in isolation.
Most people get maybe two walks a week. That& #39;s over.
They& #39;re now coming up with new ways to get fresh air for the people stuck in isolation. /3

When you consider that, and this doesn& #39;t serve as a justification at all for breaking the law, you can begin to understand how tens of thousands of people went through without problem and now something has changed. Why we& #39;ve had two escapees in recent days. /4

The "asymmetry" suggests something needs to change. And more police probably isn& #39;t the answer.
So I& #39;ll do some research, speak to some experts, write about that and come back to you. /end.