Kiwis are hitting back at a UK columnist who called New Zealand's COVID approach a "selfish form of nationalism" on Tuesday.

Countries who took the lockdown approach are pushing the impoverished into "outright destitution," according to Telegraph columnist Madeline Grant.

"Around the world, lockdowns are pushing the already impoverished into outright destitution…" Grant wrote on The Telegraph. 

"The collapse in tourism has destroyed one highly effective way of transferring wealth from advanced economies to developing ones. Farmers in the developing world, unable to sell their produce, face ruin due to the destruction of global supply chains." 

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"Restrictions on movement, and a collapse in funding for humanitarian agencies, are blocking the distribution of aid to the neediest people on earth."

"That's partly why I'm so against the New Zealand approach. It's a selfish form of nationalism," she tweeted.

"If every wealthy country followed this template it would inflict incalculable misery on developing countries,"

"And yet the Jacinda's are the 'compassionate' ones…" 

Kiwis on Twitter swung into action in defence of New Zealand's approach, saying keeping the population healthy in-turn helps the vulnerable.

"Our 'selfish nationalism' is actually to protect our most vulnerable people. Our indigenous people, our poor, our elderly, our immunocompromised," one user commented.

"And how is the UK today apart from growing crippling debt and dying people stacking up? Seriously, look in the mirror and think of your fellow country people, get a grip," another wrote.

There have been more than 544,000 confirmed cases and 42,515 deaths in the United Kingdom so far.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was criticised for his slow approach on lockdown. When the UK when into lockdown on March 23, already 967 cases were recorded.

New Zealand went into lockdown three days later, after 205 cases were recorded.

As of Thursday, there have been no new community cases in New Zealand for the 13th day in a row.