Friday's Covid-19 update: 11 new community cases, all in Auckland

Eleven new community Covid-19 cases reported on Friday, all in Auckland. Business resurgence support payments announced

10th Sep 21, 1:00pm by Gareth Vaughan

Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says there are 11 new community Covid-19 cases on Friday, all in Auckland.

Bloomfield says 288 of the 879 cases in the current outbreak have now recovered.

He says there are 29 as yet unlinked cases including six from Friday. Of Thursday's 13 cases all are contacts of other cases, with 12 household contacts and just one infectious in the community.

There are 27 people in hospital with Covid-19 of which four are in ICU on ventilators.

There've been 14,181 tests conducted over the past 24 hours with 7,974 of these in Auckland. A total of 61,574 vaccinations were administered on Thursday, of which 46,070 were first doses and 15, 504 second doses.

A person who turned up at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital’s Emergency Department on Thursday tested positive for COVID-19. This person is now in quarantine and being interviewed on Friday, Bloomfield says.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Grant Robertson announced further resurgence support payments for businesses. The details are below.

Additional Resurgence Support Payments to support business

Businesses affected by higher Alert Levels will be able to apply for further Resurgence Support Payments (RSP).

“The Government’s RSP was initially intended as a one-off payment to help businesses with their fixed costs, such as rent. Ministers have agreed to provide additional payments to recognise the effects of an extended period of alert level restrictions,” Grant Robertson said.

“This will provide cashflow to businesses and support them in meeting their ongoing obligations as we come down Alert Levels and while Auckland remains at higher Alert Levels than the rest of the country.

“Applications for the next RSP will open on Friday 17 September. Ministers have agreed that there will be another two payments after that, three weeks apart, so long as the conditions that trigger the RSP apply.”

“The payment and eligibility criteria to qualify for the RSP remain the same, including that those applying must experience at least a 30 percent decline in revenue over seven days (for this payment commencing 8 September) as a result of being at Alert Level 2 or higher.” David Parker said.

The payment includes a core per business rate of $1,500, plus $400 per employee, up to a total of 50 full-time equivalents (FTEs) which is a maximum payment of $21,500. Businesses with more than 50 FTEs can still apply but cannot get more than the maximum payment.

“The scheme will be available until all of New Zealand returns to Alert Level 1 for one month,” David Parker said.

Inland Revenue encourages those applying to ensure the accuracy of the information they provide, as if it isn’t correct that will delay processing.

“The economy is operating above pre-COVID levels thanks to our strong public health response. These principles will continue to guide our approach to supporting the economy, businesses and workers at this challenging time,” Grant Robertson said.

Businesses can apply for the payment by logging into their MyIR account. Further information can be found on the Inland Revenue website.

For more information on COVID-19 business support measures, including full eligibility criteria:

https://www.ird.govt.nz/covid-19/business-and-organisations/employing-staff/financial-support/resurgence-support-payment

https://www.ird.govt.nz/covid-19/business-and-organisations/sbcs

https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/covid-19/wage-subsidy/index.html

And here's Friday's Ministry of Health statement.

11 community cases of COVID-19; 6 new cases in managed isolation; 2 historical cases; more than 61,000 vaccines administered yesterday

Media release

10 September 2021

Cases

Number of new community cases: 11

Number of new cases identified at the border: Six

Location of new cases: Auckland

Location of community cases (total): Auckland 862 (279 of whom have recovered); Wellington 17 (9 of whom have recovered)

Number of community cases (total): 879 (in current community outbreak)

Cases infectious in the community: One (8%) of yesterday’s 13 cases have exposure events

Cases in isolation throughout the period they were infected: 12 (92%) of yesterday’s 13 cases

Cases epidemiologically linked: Five of today’s cases

Cases to be epidemiologically linked: Six of today’s cases

Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 850 (in current cluster) (29 unlinked)

Number of sub-clusters: Eight epidemiologically linked subclusters. The two largest subclusters are the Mangere church group: 374; and Birkdale social network cluster: 76.

And nine epidemiologically unlinked subclusters.

Cases in hospital: 27 (total): North Shore (5); Middlemore (11); Auckland (11)

Cases in ICU or HDU: Four

Confirmed cases (total): 3,510 since pandemic began

Historical cases, since 1 Jan 2021 (total): 136 out of 1,692 since 1 Jan 2021

Contacts

Number of contacts identified (total): 38,061

Percentage who have received outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 87%

Percentage with at least one test result: 92%

Locations of interest

Locations of interest (total): 127 (as at 10am 10 September)

Tests

Number of tests (total): 3,114,087

Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 14,181

Tests in Auckland (last 24 hours): 7,974

Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 11,035

Testing centres in Auckland: 23

Wastewater

Wastewater detections: No unexpected detections in past 24 hours

COVID-19 vaccine update

Vaccines administered to date (total): 4,163,418; 1st doses: 2,758,597; 2nd doses: 1,404,821

Vaccines administered yesterday (total): 61,574; 1st doses: 46,070; 2nd doses: 15,504

Māori: 1st doses: 255,691; 2nd doses: 123,473

Pacific Peoples: 1st doses: 163,065; 2nd doses: 83,933

NZ COVID-19 tracer

Registered users (total): 3,193,338

Poster scans (total): 347,007,730

Manual diary entries (total): 15,873,043

Poster scans in 24 hours to midday yesterday: 2,548,509

There may be some delays in providing data in some instances. On these occasions we will use data from the day before and clearly note this.

We welcome your comments below. If you are not already registered, please register to comment

Remember we welcome robust, respectful and insightful debate. We don't welcome abusive or defamatory comments and will de-register those repeatedly making such comments. Our current comment policy is here.

105 Comments

by Nifty1 | 10th Sep 21, 1:28pm 1631237286

Robertson gearing Auckland up for a level 4 extension. We've never had so many beneficiaries...

by Sluggy | 10th Sep 21, 1:44pm 1631238289

He can level 4 by himself. Im coming out of the closet.

by mfd | 10th Sep 21, 1:57pm 1631239026

Good on you, but I'm afraid the same restrictions apply to all sexualities.

by flyer | 10th Sep 21, 1:58pm 1631239095

Might be easier for them to go with helicopter money so everyone benefits 😁

by Solve_it | 10th Sep 21, 1:31pm 1631237493

Yay for reducing case numbers :)

by flyer | 10th Sep 21, 1:47pm 1631238472

I am picking level 4 all next week, and all going well level 3 the week after.

Zero chance they will go to level 3 with all of these unlinked cases.

by realterms | 10th Sep 21, 1:53pm 1631238784

It's hard to tell. When they announce the cases at 1pm they haven't had long to trace, and so some are unlinked (even close contacts). The question is if they've found the link in the next day or so. For example, yesterday's announcement had a bunch of unlinked cases, but they've all turned out to be linked.

by GV 27 | 10th Sep 21, 1:53pm 1631238829

Also the L3 we move to may look different to any other L3 we've been at previously. I suspect they'll pick and choose the bits of L4 they want to keep while still avoiding the fall out from not moving down next week.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 1:55pm 1631238938

There's not really much difference between level 3 and 4 as it is, though.

by GV 27 | 10th Sep 21, 2:06pm 1631239601

There is if you're a non-essential business who can operate in a socially-distanced and non-contact environment - or if you need to bring close family into your bubble for some reason.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 2:38pm 1631241527

So you're just saying level 4 but with some elements of level 3?

I think level 3 and 4 are so similar anyway that it'll create confusion (since there's no existing documentation, like there wasn't for delta level 2 and everyone complained) and is probably not really reducing risk that much compared to just level 3 anyway.

by Noncents | 10th Sep 21, 2:59pm 1631242765

I don't see the point in the levels. They (the govt) have never followed them. Even now Auckland should be in L2, and the rest of the country should probably be in L1 based on the official risk assessments: About the Alert System | Unite against COVID-19 (covid19.govt.nz).

Essentially we have three levels.

1. (L4) Lockdown (although not really because almost 1.5mil were deemed as essential)

2. (L2) Open domestically with Masks

3. (L1) Open domestically without masks

4. Open internationally.

Level 3 is garbage. Schools are effectively shut, yet workplaces are effectively open. That is the sort of logic only academics and economists could come up with.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 3:24pm 1631244256

The levels are fine and make sense.

The supposed risk assessment scale with its little 5-word sentences is rubbish and has never been followed in any meaningful way. Cabinet has always taken in a broad swathe of data when making alert level decisions, and trying to boil it down to a dozen words or less is stupid. I've talked about that before on interest.co.nz.

by Noncents | 10th Sep 21, 4:34pm 1631248455

Interesting. You often reference official govt comms. Imploring people to read them, refer to them, and trust them, because they are the truth. Yet this absolute vital component, the fundamental policy managing all levels of our internal response is stupid and bares no resemblance to any actual decision.

If our Government cannot write and articulate the required info to allow the entire country to plan and live their lives, then they are simply not fit to govern.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 4:45pm 1631249111

You often reference official govt comms.

Yes, and I criticise them when they deserve criticism. Most of the criticism people level at the government is unwarranted, and I say that too.

This should not be a surprise to anyone, except the people who think I'm somehow on Labour or the government's payroll, which as I have said many times is not the case.

Yet this absolute vital component, the fundamental policy managing all levels of our internal response is stupid and bares no resemblance to any actual decision.

Because this isn't the actual "absolute vital component".

It's messaging that someone in the government created because they thought it was necessary or would make the public feel at ease if there was 'some guidance' as to how alert levels work. Precisely because this guidance does not even closely mirror what the government actually does, I think it is harmful and would be better off with nothing.

If our Government cannot write and articulate the required info to allow the entire country to plan and live their lives, then they are simply not fit to govern.

No, because the actual decision making process draws in a vast swathe of information and cannot be accurately distilled into a dozen words or less.

Criticise the government all you like for having these silly descriptions - I do. I similarly criticise them for the supposed rules framework they put out with the trans-tasman bubble, with red, orange and green traffic light signals. They basically never followed those rules either.

It is actually good that the government hasn't published cute little lists easily digestable by the public and then slavishly tried to stick by them, because that would be moronic.

by Noncents | 10th Sep 21, 5:15pm 1631250900

No, because the actual decision making process draws in a vast swathe of information and cannot be accurately distilled into a dozen words or less.

Who said it had to be in 12 words of less? They are happy to prattle on for hours each day at 1pm Jacinda time (which is about 20 minutes behind the rest of NZ) so I don't think being concise is a concern.

But I digress, I wonder what I can come up with in 5 minutes.

Level 4 - An active case in the community of unknown origin. (9 words)
Level 3 - No active community cases and/or known community cases in isolation (11 words)
Level 2 - No active cases in the community. (6 words)
Level 1 - No cases in the community. (5 words)
Level 0 - No known cases globally. (4 words)

Level 3 was a bit tight, but hey I don't have a team of policy experts behind me. So perhaps I could have done better with some assistance.

Any competent Government would not find this hard.

It is actually good that the government hasn't published cute little lists easily digestable by the public and then slavishly tried to stick by them, because that would be moronic.

What is Moronic is failing to be able to articulate anything meaningful to the voters, let alone do what you tell them.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 5:22pm 1631251377

Your definitions don't match reality either, sorry.

What is Moronic is failing to be able to articulate anything meaningful to the voters, let alone do what you tell them.

The government has articulated plenty of meaningful things to me. I think if you're struggling understanding what the government has been saying, that's on you.

by Noncents | 10th Sep 21, 6:21pm 1631254890

You got me... try as I might, I struggle to understand the Govts answers for even the simplest of questions, and I have searched far and wide for answers. Perhaps you could enlighten me, given you clearly have a better understanding that I could ever hope to achieve.

What conditions need to be met to go into and out of lockdown?

When do we stop lockdowns? Does it require a percentage vaccinated? if so what percentage?

What needs to be done to enable overseas travel?

Why does Covid absolve all other ministers of responsibility for their portfolios, for example...

Why has the housing minister continued to let housing prices run rampant?
Why has the self proclaimed minister of child poverty allowed child poverty to increase?
Why has the health minister not done more to prepare the Hospitals? (for reference NSW added over 600 ICU beds over the past 18 months in direct response to any possible Covid incursion)
What is the Energy Minister doing to stop our failing electrical network?

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 6:38pm 1631255899

What conditions need to be met to go into and out of lockdown?

It's based on the risk profile of what COVID looks like in the community.

When do we stop lockdowns?

When enough of the population is vaccinated (or new effective treatments are avialable) such that COVID outbreaks won't result in our health system being overhwhelmed.

Does it require a percentage vaccinated? if so what percentage?

As high a percentage as possible, however there is a not a single number for this, because it depends on many factors, for example if there are geographic locations or groups of people (particularly if they're vulnerable) that have lower vaccination rates than the average, then lockdowns might still be used until the vaccination rates in those communities / groups are at the same, or much closer to, the average vaccination rate within the country as a whole.

What needs to be done to enable overseas travel?

You are free to leave the country whenever you want. It has never been restricted.

Why does Covid absolve all other ministers of responsibility for their portfolios, for example...

These are political questions and based on your opinion, not factual questions about NZ's COVID response.

by Foxglove. | 10th Sep 21, 3:01pm 1631242897

Given the precedent of previous history by this government’s strategy, and that the lockdown is at least dampening down, if not quite containing the outbreak, what would then be the logic of doing a 180 on all of that to incur the risk of the virus doing a 180 too? Bit like walking away from an extinguished forest fire without attending to the hot spots.

by GV 27 | 10th Sep 21, 3:01pm 1631242887

I have a feeling you're right, but L3 for other parts of NZ was L3 with no discernible community cases, while Auckland will probably still have some community cases they'll want to be accounting for in terms of risk, so I'm keen to see what happens.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 3:21pm 1631244112

Yeah I really don't know what they're going to do. I mean ideally we'd have 0 new cases over the weekend and on Monday, but that's very unlikely.

However if the only cases over the weekend and Monday are household contacts, or if they get some non-household contact cases but they were not infectious in the community, then moving to level 3 on Tuesday midnight could still happen.

Or they might just stay in level 4 until midnight Thursday for example.

by sharetrader | 10th Sep 21, 1:54pm 1631238843

like i said yesterday still people wandering around auckland with delta covid, unitill you find them all no chance at level 3

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 1:57pm 1631239067

Only 1 new case from yesterday was infectious while in the community.

The net is drawing tighter and tighter, which is exactly what we want and shows we are now on top of this outbreak, and we just have to sustain from here and not get any unlucky super-spreader events, or a chain of transmission where no one gets tested despite the public message to get tested if you have symptoms.

by Noncents | 10th Sep 21, 2:24pm 1631240692

I am predicting no L3 until daily cases have been zero for a few days. So at least another week of L4.

by Mrs The Point | 10th Sep 21, 5:12pm 1631250736

Ditto. They will want a week of 0 cases before going to L3. Probably another couple of weeks at L4.

by Carlos67 | 10th Sep 21, 2:25pm 1631240727

level 4 for the rest of the month, get used to it Auckland. Hopefully if people stay home this weekend you will be down to single digit cases next week. People need to be given a goal to work towards, not constant extensions. Give the people a Friday 1st October date to go to level 3 if case numbers drop to zero before then. Level 3 for 1 week then go to level 2 with mask wearing the new normal but otherwise open up.

by Brock Landers | 10th Sep 21, 2:28pm 1631240886

So many friends overseas laughing at New Zealand and taking pity on us trapped here.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 2:39pm 1631241597

So many people in NZ enjoying their freedoms, and have been over the last ~18 months and taking pity on everyone overseas.

by Brock Landers | 10th Sep 21, 2:53pm 1631242430

So many people in NZ have a warped view of what overseas was actually like. Brainwashed with doom and gloom by the idiotic NZ media and lapping up everything that auntie Jacinda says.

by dollar_bill | 10th Sep 21, 2:57pm 1631242678

I see Britney is to have her conservatorship lifted - now that's Toxic.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 3:27pm 1631244443

I look at international media to get a view of what overseas was like. And also talking to people who have returned to NZ from being overseas and "sheltering in place" for 12+ months as advised by the governments there. And also talking to people who live overseas about what it's like for them.

I'm sure there are some people in NZ who are judging it purely based on NZ domestic media.

by Brock Landers | 10th Sep 21, 3:37pm 1631245045

Cool. Then you know it wasn't anywhere near as bad as the hysterical fear-mongers would have everyone think.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 3:41pm 1631245274

Can you point me in the direction of some of these "hysterical fear-mongers" and what they are trying to "have everyone think".

Once I know specifically what you're talking about, I'll tell you if I "know that it wasn't anywhere near as bad" as what they're saying.

by the Joneses | 10th Sep 21, 3:32pm 1631244741

This link shows how restricted the world has been over time, https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-lockdowns/ overall NZ looks like it has had it easy in comparison so far.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 3:41pm 1631245309

Shh, Brock doesn't like actual facts.

by Brock Landers | 10th Sep 21, 3:52pm 1631245953

Labour party talking points are not facts.

I was overseas for the whole of 2020. I know exactly how the picture painted by the braindead media here compared to the actual facts on the ground.

by kiwichas | 10th Sep 21, 3:54pm 1631246097

Nice little link from the Herald, are you vacced Brocky???

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/covid-19-coronavirus-unvaxxed-womans-h…

by Solve_it | 10th Sep 21, 4:00pm 1631246445

His family contracted the alpha strain, assumedly while overseas.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 4:02pm 1631246552

Yip, so now he's an expert.

by Solve_it | 10th Sep 21, 4:10pm 1631247006

I think he's got opinions, we all do otherwise we wouldn't spend so much time in the comments section of interest.co.nz lol.

I think being a young healthy family and sailing through it is great though. Just wouldn't necessarily extrapolate that experience to mean that we open the borders immediately and everyone can fend for themselves regardless of health and vaccination status.

by Lord Dowding | 10th Sep 21, 4:35pm 1631248549

Well he’s often more accurate than you are Our Resident Labour Cheerleader

by Mrs The Point | 10th Sep 21, 5:15pm 1631250914

Hahaha, that's for sure.

by Brock Landers | 10th Sep 21, 4:10pm 1631247031

Thanks, that's exactly what I'm talking about. Kiwis lap up this crap from The Herald, Stuff and Jacinda's politics of fear schtick then start spouting garbage.

It's not reflective of the real world when you focus on the very worst things that happen to a very small subset of people.

I have natural immunity and vaccination. Why?

by Solve_it | 10th Sep 21, 4:21pm 1631247674

Is it normal for a woman like that to die of the flu though? Pre-covid it certainly wasn't. So it is news, I agree the story is a bit dramatic but factually I am about her age with a lowered immune system due to pregnancy, and an in law family full of nutter antivaxxers who told me I would miscarry if I got the vaccination. If I just couldn't be bothered with the drama I might think I'm alright, don't need the vaccine. But I read stories like this and I think, this could get me too. I will get the vaccine.

by Brock Landers | 10th Sep 21, 4:37pm 1631248676

The best thing she could have done was get vaccinated.

The second best thing she could have done was address her obesity.

by Solve_it | 10th Sep 21, 4:51pm 1631249507

Does it follow then that we should allow enough time for the good people of New Zealand to get vaccinated? Or must we open the borders straight away because life is apparently crap here compared to other places.

by Brock Landers | 10th Sep 21, 4:56pm 1631249810

As soon as everybody who wants to be vaccinated has been vaccinated the borders should be opened and no more lockdowns.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 5:24pm 1631251457

That is actually the government's plan. Glad you agree with it.

by Brock Landers | 10th Sep 21, 5:53pm 1631253228

Cool. So no quarantine or isolation when returning from overseas and no more lockdowns after December?

Bet you $20 that's not going to happen.

by Albert2020 | 10th Sep 21, 6:14pm 1631254478

They aren’t going to open up until children at least have the option of being vaccinated. Would be foolish to not vaccinate 20% of the population

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 6:18pm 1631254691

Now you're shifting the goal posts. Your first comment made no mention of "no quarantine or isolation when returning from overseas".

Your first comment also had no timeline.

by Brock Landers | 10th Sep 21, 6:56pm 1631256985

Indeed, if there is one thing that makes Labour party enthusiasts squirm it's being held to any kind of specific goals or deadlines.

Opening up is going to go the same way as kiwibuild, light rail, house prices, immigration cuts and every other load of crap they lie about.

by Lord Dowding | 10th Sep 21, 4:23pm 1631247827

NZ media is absolute waste of ones precious lifetime. Dumbed down tabloidean and presenters all with a south Auckland accent aimed at the lowest joe blow.

I haven’t watched it in a long time.

Probably this website is the closest I’ll get to it now.

BBC iplayer is a life changer.

by twoturntablesa… | 10th Sep 21, 7:59pm 1631260750

by HouseMouse | 10th Sep 21, 9:43pm 1631267019

Agree. It's one of many things I miss about Aus, far from perfect there but at least there's a bit more range of media, a couple of decent newspapers rather than none, etc etc

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 4:02pm 1631246535

The facts being referred to in this case is the level of lockdown around the world, using the Oxford lockdown stringency index. The link to these facts was provided above.

If you look at the facts, you will see the fact is over the last 18 months, NZ has had cumulatively less stringent lockdowns than pretty much any other developed country in the world.

The data is produced by Oxford university. It doesn't have anything to do with the Labour party. If the Labour party are talking about facts, then I think that's a good thing.

by Mrs The Point | 10th Sep 21, 5:25pm 1631251501

How about Nicaragua?

by mfd | 10th Sep 21, 4:14pm 1631247252

For most of 2020 you'd be comparing your overseas life to essentially complete freedom in NZ.

My parents are in in UK in their 70s and in pretty good health. They spend the majority of 2020 barely leaving the house except the occasional supermarket trip and the allotment. It's only in the last few months they've ventured outside. If they were in NZ, they'd have had an extra year or so of freedom.

My sister was in France and spent months in their apartment with two small children. My brother similarly in the UK. I'm not sure where you were, but NZ stacks up very nicely compared to the vast, vast majority of the world.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 4:18pm 1631247535

He was, and still is, in denial.

by Brock Landers | 10th Sep 21, 4:34pm 1631248483

In many ways I had more freedom. During 2020 I went on summer vacations to several European countries while NZ was locked up behind closed borders. I was able to hang out with friends at the park and go out to pubs and restaurants in London and live a fairly normal life for most parts of the year.

The narrative that everybody was locked inside their house and too terrified to walk out the front door is completely false.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 4:37pm 1631248630

The narrative that everybody was locked inside their house and too terrified to walk out the front door is completely false.

Yes, a lot of people disregarded public health advice and ended up dead as a result.

A lot of people disregarded public health advice and ended up having to go to hospital, and in some countries rack up huge hospital bills.

A lot of people disregarded public health advice and ended up with long COVID.

A lot of people disregarded public health advice and had the worst weeks of their lives with COVID.

A lot of people disregarded public health advice and got COVID and it wasn't too bad for them.

A lot of people disregarded public health advice and got COVID and didn't know it.

A lot of people disregarded public health advice and luckily did not catch COVID.

I don't think anyone is saying "everyone" was locked inside their house and too terrified to walk out of the front door. Except for you with the strawman you just created.

by Brock Landers | 10th Sep 21, 4:45pm 1631249138

I'm simply pointing out that the media and the government in this country have pushed a fear-mongering narrative that has terrified a lot of people into being irrationally hysterical about this virus.

I can only imagine how terrible it must be to be so invested in this warped reality that you feel compelled to attack anyone who refutes it.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 5:25pm 1631251548

It's completely rational to not want to be infected with a virus.

You're not refuting it. You're disputing it.

by False economies | 10th Sep 21, 5:39pm 1631252365

That's your interpretation of what's been going on. Can't say I've noticed lots of "terrified" people about or them being "irrationally hysterical". Most people seem to just get on with it without too much fuss.

And as a reader of news sites from around the world I'd say here was pretty tame by comparison. Try the Daily Mail in the UK if you want hysteria and fear mongering everyday. They flip from "were are all gonna die" to "it's all just bad flu" within a few articles on the same day. And some of the US ones are even worse

by mfd | 10th Sep 21, 7:55pm 1631260533

That narrative was largely true for my parents. There were a couple of brief respites where they could do things like book a walk at a National Trust property, follow the prescribed path around the grounds and keep their distance from the next scheduled walkers.

It is a fact that kids were kept out of school in the UK and France (I expect most other countries too) which seriously limited my sibling's abilities to work. They could go out, sure, but nowhere near the extent that I could. I was embarrassed talking to them about the packed sweaty gigs with hundreds of people I'd been going to, the nights at the pub just like normal, the dinners out, the skiing. None of this was available to them.

It's good you presumably aren't in an at-risk cohort and you could enjoy the park (no doubt with numbers limited and prescribed distances) and pubs (no doubt masked, with fewer tables than normal, likely outside seating only most of last year). Not everyone could, or did.

There is only one way you had more freedom - open borders. That's the price we paid for otherwise complete freedom. NZ is a beautiful country to holiday in, so the only hardship was not visiting my family. But that's barely relevant either - my brother lives an hour away by train and didn't visit them for a year for fear of spreading the disease. My nieces and nephews didn't see their grandparents for a year.

by Nifty1 | 10th Sep 21, 2:53pm 1631242400

Anybody else confused as to why 'the experts' are breaking the rules and getting away with it 🤔 Is it not as serious as what they are preaching?

https://thebfd.co.nz/2021/09/10/siouxsie-wiles-beach-buddy-revealed/?ut…

by Foxglove. | 10th Sep 21, 3:14pm 1631243652

Suggest some of these scientists have just become too famous and as often happens, and having evolved into celebrity seekers, unhappily they find they cannot get to be famous enough. No science in that though of course.

by tim52 | 10th Sep 21, 3:13pm 1631243599

LOL, I think is pretty universal that technocratic authoritarians can justify bending their own rules.

She though she was safe and I have no reason to doubt it but the rest of us are too stupid or can't be trusted to make this call.

by Brock Landers | 10th Sep 21, 3:17pm 1631243849

Rules for thee but not for me.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 3:36pm 1631244978

She's obeying level 4 restrictions, which allow for single people to merge their household bubbles. She's not breaking any rules at all.

by Brock Landers | 10th Sep 21, 3:41pm 1631245312

You are allowed to leave your home or place of residence to visit or stay at another residence under a shared bubble arrangement if: ...

Wallowing at beach is not visiting another residence, so yes, they are breaking the rules.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 4:17pm 1631247475

Yes, and Cam Slater is an idiot because that's a mis-direction to what the rules under level 4 actually say. You can read them right here: https://covid19.govt.nz/assets/resources/tables/Detailed-table-of-COVID…

Stay in your immediate household bubble. If you live alone you may join another household bubble, but it must be exclusive.

He is specifically quoting the caregiver provision. There is a broader bubble-merging arrangement that is not specific to the caregiver provision.

Jacinda Ardern talked about it when the country went into level 4, saying that an individual can join another household bubble, so long as the arrangement is totally exclusive of any other bubble merging.

That is what the alert level 4 rules say.

The caregiver arrangement is allowed in addition to the merged household bubble arrangement.

by tim52 | 10th Sep 21, 3:52pm 1631245960

First, her own rules included wanting everyone to use a mask outdoors as it has finally come to her attention that covid can spread though aerosols but read the link she pushed the rules to the grey areas of interpretation.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 4:07pm 1631246851

So she may be breaking "her rules". That's not the same as breaking "the rules" as was claimed.

by GV 27 | 10th Sep 21, 5:24pm 1631251464

Getting out and telling everyone to be extra careful and then not practicing what you preach kind of makes you look like an idiot, which she is definitely not.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 5:27pm 1631251623

According to her, the beach was deserted, apart from the 1 other person there who decided to film her.

by dumbthoughts | 10th Sep 21, 4:09pm 1631246979

To quote Joe Biden "C'mon man".

She has spent the last 18 or so months demanding that we all mask up, avoid contact during outbreaks etc, and then goes and does this ... this is just poor form whichever way you cut it.

Even if the law says it's ok - and we all know that 'technically correct is the best kind of correct' - what kind of message does this send to others who are supposed to be complying?

I understand you are on the government payroll so are required to post these kinds of comments, but even you must surely see the hypocrisy here.

How hard would it have been for her just to put on a mask? Or to sit just a bit further away?

Practice as you preach, basically.

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 4:09pm 1631246955

I didn't realise it extended to maskless frolicking on the beach.

Merged household bubbles allow for exercise and recreation together, which includes frolicking on the beach if that beach is local, and the frolicking is kept socially distanced from others using the beach.

I'm not on the government pay roll and never have been.

Masks are not required outdoors.

by HouseMouse | 10th Sep 21, 9:46pm 1631267161

I would NOt call a beach 5kms away as 'local'

by dollar_bill | 10th Sep 21, 3:18pm 1631243939

They are essential workers just like supermarket staff - they are obviously having a work meeting - lol

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 3:37pm 1631245037

No, not confused at all, because they aren't breaking the rules at all. Cam Slater is just an idiot.

Here's what Alert level 4 says:

Stay at home, other than for permitted essential personal movement and providing Alert Level 4 services. Stay in your immediate household bubble. If you live alone you may join another household bubble, but it must be exclusive.

https://covid19.govt.nz/assets/resources/tables/Detailed-table-of-COVID…

Siouxsie and Nicola are clearly obeying a level 4 allowance for household bubbles to be combined when they consist of single people.

Sitting on the beach is not swimming.

An e-bike does not pose any risk beyond a regular bicycle, so long as it's used on regular streets in the same manner as a regular bicycle, ie she's not hooning around doing stunts due to it being an e-bike.

by Nifty1 | 10th Sep 21, 5:03pm 1631250203

It's a terrible look and leaves herself in a vulnerable position. It's certaintly opens her actions up to interpretation and some would say she looks hypocritical...

by Lanthanide | 10th Sep 21, 5:28pm 1631251702

Totally agree.

My point is Cam is seriously, and deliberately, misrepresenting the situation and claiming she has broken rules that she has not broken.

by Nifty1 | 10th Sep 21, 8:41pm 1631263280

Well, her friend broke the rules... guilty by association.

by HouseMouse | 10th Sep 21, 9:18pm 1631265538

It's nearly as bad, given role and the messages she has been delivering.

by Brock Landers | 10th Sep 21, 9:33pm 1631266384

Rule number 1 of breaking lockdown rules is don't be so recognisable by cosplaying as Mrs Ronald McDonald.

by HouseMouse | 10th Sep 21, 9:17pm 1631265465

She should be censored by the university.

Oh that's right, they are woke and only censure white males questioning whether traditional Maori knowledge is science....

by CrispyKahawai | 10th Sep 21, 9:20pm 1631265644

Attacking her based on her appearance is pretty poor form. Disappointing comment.

by kiwichas | 10th Sep 21, 9:09pm 1631264985

Collins is a bigger idiot

"I think she's a big, fat hypocrite, actually," Collins said.

"I'm sick and tired of listening to her telling everyone else what to do."

by Foxglove. | 11th Sep 21, 8:27am 1631305636

Unfortunately for National that just sums up their leader’s inability to present herself as a personable and polished Prime Minister of any potential. A well qualified and successful lawyer but without much tact nor much nous in articulating an argument, it’s more than enigmatic, it’s downright bizarre.

by HouseMouse | 10th Sep 21, 9:15pm 1631265357

Wow.

So you can bike to the beach, 5km - quite a distance, and hang out there without masks?

I don't have a bike, so can I drive to the beach 5km away and hang out there without a mask? I am a bit over staying at home and walking around the block.

I will do it this weekend.

by CrispyKahawai | 10th Sep 21, 9:25pm 1631265918

It's not very far. Get a grip.

by HouseMouse | 10th Sep 21, 9:27pm 1631266075

Well it's well beyond immediate neighbourhood, don't you think?

If I don't have a bike, can I drive that kind of distance to the beach? If not, why not

by HouseMouse | 10th Sep 21, 9:32pm 1631266322

The guidelines say exercise in your local area. I wouldn't call a 5km distance your local area.

The guidelines say people can drive somewhere close by to exercise at a park (or maybe beach). So if I drive 5km to a beach is that Ok?

by CrispyKahawai | 10th Sep 21, 10:51pm 1631271070

It would be totally ok with me, but I don't make the rules.

by Solve_it | 11th Sep 21, 7:14am 1631301242

I live in a rural area and my nearest beach is about 15km away. I would definitely consider it local as I can't walk on the 100km/hr road outside my house with no verge.

It's the closest amenity spot where I could go for a walk

by HouseMouse | 10th Sep 21, 9:12pm 1631265164

This is outrageous. Such hypocrisy.

Pathetic

by Lanthanide | 11th Sep 21, 8:27am 1631305629

Clutch those pearls harder.

by HouseMouse | 10th Sep 21, 2:55pm 1631242533

I expect level 3 for Auckland next week.

by donny11 | 10th Sep 21, 4:52pm 1631249569

Doubtful. Unless they drop the elimination strategy. I think there are still low levels of transmission in the community. If they go level 3 now we will see flair ups. Will be another 3 or 4 weeks to stamp out this outbreak permently.

by realterms | 10th Sep 21, 5:12pm 1631250721

permanently*

* = until the next one

by MortgageBelt | 10th Sep 21, 6:26pm 1631255182

After all the fuss and pandemonium of levels and shutting up businesses in Aug//Sept ….

Then NZ will have a new outbreak in November and start the cycle again.

Then in February

And so on.

All that will be left soon are Govt departments, Universities,Schools, supermarkets, etc all cycling govt money around

by HouseMouse | 10th Sep 21, 9:22pm 1631265747

Cycling govt money around, pun unintended? (In light of tonight's debacle around Siouxsie Wells)

by HouseMouse | 10th Sep 21, 9:33pm 1631266407

Yep government departments and politicians will be fine in their ivory towers, and they are the ones making all the decisions. Funny that