Possession of Covid-19 will be a crime if National wins the upcoming election.

The party unveiled its pandemic response plan this morning, and it contains a range of get-tough measures against the coronavirus.

Party leader Judith Collins used the launch to slam the Government’s response to the epidemic, and to lay out National’s plan to wipe out Covid-19.

“Labour has bungled its response to Covid,” said Collins. “They have tried to contain it in the hope that it will just go away. But all the evidence shows that containment doesn’t work, and people are fed up and want action. If you don’t believe me, just go look at Facebook.”

Under National’s policy, anyone found in possession of Covid-19 will face up to three years’ imprisonment. And anyone found dealing in the disease will face up to seven years behind bars.

Additional border controls will be introduced to deter people from smuggling Covid-19 into the country. National’s policy provides that anyone convicted of bringing Covid-19 into the country will face a lengthy prison sentence.

The National leader said she had full confidence in the ability of police to tackle the Covid-19 crisis. And she is unapologetic for her party’s get-tough policy against what many experts have described as a public health crisis.

“Labour’s soft-on-crime approach has been a catastrophe,” she said. “It just tells people that it’s okay to have the coronavirus.

“But it’s not okay. This disease is causing real harm in our communities and we need to stamp it out. We need to send a message to the people spreading Covid-19 among our elderly and vulnerable that we’ve had enough. We’re coming for you and your germs.

“Our message to the people who think they can bring this terrible disease into New Zealand is to think again. If you bring Covid here we will crush you.”