chocolate cake

Well down to zero community cases again the last couple of days, though that might change given a child awaiting test results (subsequently positive) turned up at a Flat Bush school earlier in the week, & whole school to be tested.

Elsewhere the different GDP results to June v Australia -7% v -12% NZ, not surprising and indicative of the original overkill response here v Australia, where their less lockdown was equally successful. (Forget Melbourne/Victoria since that’s border issues)

Not commented on, was why it it’s taken NZ statisticians weeks (v Australia) & month (Europe & US) to measure the qtr to June results, I mean we’re two weeks from finishing the next quarter. Pity anyone needing to make decisions on them!

Charismatic

The WHO has stated that it expects a vaccine to be widely circulated by mid-2021. However they have a global view, in reality only a few wealthy countries can afford a rapid research and development program and localised mass production unfortunately.

Here are a few organisations tracking the efforts:
World Health Organisation (WHO)
Bloomberg
NY Times


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Charismatic

Iceland had their first incident:
https://www.icelandreview.com/societ...cted-over-100/

Just goes to show that if not everyone follows the rules it can lead to very serious consequences.

Justcol

It really comes as no surprise. Iceland has had the virus for some time, albeit at very low levels, and like NZ, mostly in isolation facilities, which as we know are not infallible

Charismatic

Apparently ScoMo is looking to open to Kiwis before New Zealand reciprocates.

chocolate cake

Yeah, I think more a politcal move at this stage, to gte other states except Victoria to open up.

It's unlikely to be that attractive to NZers until it's iso free on return, as with above will be able to to travel to NSW and Northern Territory quanrantine free, it will be two weeks $4k on return.

Elsewhere with Coronavirus still widely multiplying in first and second waves, with two planes in the last month imported with 17 and 10 (yesterday) cases, surely it's time to insist on a negative test to fly to NZ even for returning residents/citizens, as otherwise the next inevitable border breakout becomes sooner rather than later.

Charismatic

I see no reason to trust the Indian government. They aren't just failing, they have given up trying.

chocolate cake

Well after this afternoon’s party political broadcast we find Auckland’s going back to level 1 on Thursday.
Given it’s 13 days without community case, only further question is why it’s not tomorrow, and we need to await a further two days before joining the rest of the country.

Bo-Jangles

It's 10 days without community cases and really as before it's been no biggie and I see very little change unless you're desperate to get out socialising and standing shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of strangers in bars. People really have not been adhering to physical distancing and it's very easy to forget we are at alert level anything, until you are reminded by seeing someone wearing a mask. We were out for lunch yesterday and really nothing at all to suggest we were still in the midst of a global pandemic.

chocolate cake

I think 12 days actually, 13 days today.

Indeed as before back in June, people have already moved to Level 1 the last couple days, not surprising.

However there is a difference L2 to L1 and number of businesses that can’t operate normally/profitably in the former.

Still from Thursday, we’re Level 1 again until the next border failures(s).

chocolate cake

Seems like the latest Community case Port Taranaki/Auckland from last Friday has become the ‘Marine Cluster’ and includes Bank Employee in Auckland as of today from a close contact.

At least things seem to be under better control than the second outbreak in August, which was clearly the result of border failures somewhere, with lax border staff and iso hotel staff testing.
Despite Ardern’s insistence that wasn’t a border failure incursion.

Charismatic

Not aware that they have ever isolated the index case for the August outbreak, as far as I'm aware it remains an "unknown unknown." There was some research a few weeks ago claiming Coronavirus could remain viable in temperature controlled environments for many months which I think could offer one avenue for investigators to explore

It's strange to me that what is essentially an island nation, having had fishing villages here since about 1320 when people first found their way here by boat, requires fishermen from overseas to get the fishes from the seas. It would seem like one of those skillsets worth retaining.

chocolate cake

I’d agree the comment, though I believe the Russian fisherman aren’t the source of the latest community outbreak, just behind a large number in quarantine, which should be controllable.
Though yeah it seems it’s possible for sea crew to be able to fly in, have less than full (couple of days) quarantine period before manning a ship leaving NZ waters.
Further failures in the system.

The Auckland August cluster, freight at the cold store has been heavily discounted as a cause.

More likely border failures, given all airport staff, port staff and iso hotel staff weren’t originally being tested as often as the govt led us believe & some not at all.

That the cluster source wasn’t traced is perhaps not unusual, given first community case could well have been asymptomatic.

Yes, generally Coronavirus has been managed well here, and fair bit of it has been good fortune.

Charismatic

Early vaccines only appears to work for a few months at a time so it will be critical that they administer the vaccination as widely as possible at the very earliest opportunity. This makes that first strike absolutely critical as if you have a phased roll-out it would be like painting the Forth Bridge in that they'd never get done.

Justcol

I now know 6 people who have had it and all have made a full recovery. its time to stop focussing on new case figures and open up again.
In the uk the number of deaths in October, for any reason, is exactly in line with where it should be based on a 5 year average, and this is including covid deaths. It is no more a threat to life than other viruses or diseases.
This isn't going to go away, it will be like the flu, we will get our annual jabs and carry on.