By Madeleine Muzdakis on January 8, 2021 Photo: Stock Photos from FILIP FUXA/Shutterstock Few countries can boast the low infection rates and effective contact tracing which the nation of New Zealand has managed to accomplish during the global coronavirus pandemic. The island's government—under the direction of their popular Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern—has effectively combated community transmission and has even purchased vaccines for neighboring island nations. This response to the virus has gained the attention of many around the world. According to a new paper published in The Lancet, it appears that these social distance measures have not only limited the number of cases and resulting deaths from the dangerous new virus, but the average mortality rate of the nation actually dipped well below levels seen in past “normal” years.