NZ moving to 'Red' at midnight to respond to Omicron outbreak

Public Policy / analysis

Here is what 'Red' means for workplaces

23rd Jan 22, 11:37am by admin

The following is on the Covid-19.govt.nz website now that the traffic light system has moved to the 'Red' setting.

Workplaces can open at Red.

If it is appropriate for your job, you can work from home. Talk to your employer about what is appropriate for you.

Following My Vaccine Pass requirements

Most businesses can choose whether they require My Vaccine Pass for customers and visitors, but there will be restrictions if they do not, including possibly needing to close.

They can also switch between requiring My Vaccine Pass and not requiring My Vaccine Pass. This could happen in places such as funeral homes where they have different groups entering the venue after each other.

If a business chooses to switch:

there must be no mingling of groups
rooms should be well ventilated
high-touch surfaces, such as door handles, should be cleaned between groups
everyone, both staff and visitors, must be told what the vaccine pass requirements are—whether it is for people with My Vaccine Pass, or a mix of people with and without My Vaccine Pass.

Advice for businesses on checking and verifying My Vaccine Passes | business.govt.nz(external link)

Vaccination status for workers

Some workplaces may be covered by vaccine mandates. This means workers in businesses covered by the mandate must be vaccinated.

This applies to food and drink services (excluding takeaway-only businesses), events, close-proximity businesses and indoor exercise facilities like gyms. The mandate also applies to on-site tertiary education when Red settings are in place.

Workers in these businesses must be fully vaccinated, even if the business chooses not to operate with My Vaccine Pass requirements.

If a business is only offering takeaway food and drink, then workers do not need to be vaccinated.

Vaccine information for businesses

Get your work ready for COVID-19

If you are a business owner or manager, now is the time to start thinking about what steps you can take to protect your staff and customers, if there is a positive case of COVID-19 in your workplace.

Use the step by step guide on business.govt.nz to develop a plan for your business.

Managing the impact of COVID-19 cases at your business | business.govt.nz(external link)

Visiting a business

If you enter a business as a visitor or customer, follow the My Vaccine Pass requirements at the venue.

Businesses may check your My Vaccine Pass, either by looking at it, or scanning the QR code on your My Vaccine Pass with the NZ Pass Verifier app.

Businesses that are subject to My Vaccine Pass requirements are expected to check My Vaccine Pass for people on their premises, including workers.

Scan in or keep a record of where you go

Scan the QR code or keep a record of where you go. This will help with contact tracing for any cases in your community.

Where you must wear a face covering at Red

Face coverings help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

There are some circumstance where you must wear a face covering:

on domestic air transport services
public transport
arrival and departure points of public transport services
retail
public venues/facilities (not swimming pools)
pharmacies
veterinary services and animal health and welfare services
courts and tribunals
specified social services
the public area of premises operated by NZ Post Limited
premises operated by a central government agency, a local authority, or NZ Police
anyone who is not a patient or worker of a health service other than pharmacies
workers (paid and non-paid) at food and drink businesses and services, including within events
workers (paid and non-paid) at close-proximity businesses
workers (paid and non-paid) at gatherings, excluding performers and formal speakers.

We encourage you wear a face covering whenever you leave your home, including at the gym, hairdresser, and at work.

At events, workers (excluding performers and formal speakers) and others are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings.

When to wear a face covering

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.

196 Comments

by MortgageBelt | 23rd Jan 22, 12:23pm 1642893814

3rd year WFH. More Govt subsidies? A halt to OCR hikes?

by Squishy | 23rd Jan 22, 11:43am 1642891385

Unlikely, just going to have to tough it out for a couple of months.

This is the tsunami we all knew would come.

by Yvil | 23rd Jan 22, 1:57pm 1642899464

More government subsidies are being offered already to pay for employees while they are isolating

by Colin Nemo | 23rd Jan 22, 3:48pm 1642906133

Could someone tell me what businesses would be profitable during these traffic light restrictions?

I ask because the traffic light "RED" is priming my subconscious through all my years of driving and that it's inherently a LOCKDOWN and time to be tightening up the purse strings and stop spending money. Also, I'm starting to question the going concern for many SME/ businesses after the August lockdowns that led up to Xmas whilst inflation is surging.

by Pa1nter | 23rd Jan 22, 4:56pm 1642910161

If you've survived since 2020 as a business this is really more of the same, with the added downside of it taking out employees at random and the ongoing flow on, and any other issues upstream through suppliers etc.

And that's the problem really, yay, we're back to normal, but normal in the age of covid is to basically run at around 75% steam or less. Hence, everything's costing more and no OCR hikes will resolve that unless demand gets totally chopped, or covid well and truly becomes endemic, no new strains etc. Globally I see this taking at least another year or more to resolve itself to 2019 era normal.

2022 isn't going to be a stellar year for a lot of traditional business. Anything retailing online should do well. If you can get stock.

by Hardly | 23rd Jan 22, 5:41pm 1642912872

Most business would be completely unaffected. It’s more appropriate to list those impacted those unaffected.

by wortho | 23rd Jan 22, 8:34pm 1642923276

Well us service businesses are well affected thank you. Most…what a liberal blanket you throw! So June 2020 we closed our travel agency, so I guess now we don’t exist, we don’t fit your “most”. I could go on. Just so ignorant are some.

by Nzdan | 24th Jan 22, 9:17am 1642969061

I reckon you still would have closed if the borders were completely open. Unless of course your business offers bespoke travel packages for visiting tourists. Most businesses that add value to our local economy are unaffected.

by powerupkiwi | 24th Jan 22, 9:50am 1642971057

The market determines what “adds value”, not you, and not the people sitting in offices on Lambton Quay who’ve never taken a risk in their life.

Kicking entrepreneurs who’ve been put out of business by our covid response is disgraceful. Keep you worthless opinion to yourself.

by Nzdan | 24th Jan 22, 10:18am 1642972714

You really think a company that bundles up tourist packages has been let down by our Covid response, and not the Covid responses of various overseas destinations? Or people's adversity to travel during a global pandemic?

Interest.co is not really the place for entrepreneurs to seek pity.

by Nifty1 | 23rd Jan 22, 11:50am 1642891843

Auckland over 97% double jabbed, rewarded with a couple weeks in orange light settings now back in red light settings. That's freedom alright...

by HW2 | 23rd Jan 22, 1:16pm 1642896967

True but just think the red light IS freedom compared to arderns normal penchant of short sharp full lockdown that lasts 3 months

by Nifty1 | 23rd Jan 22, 1:33pm 1642898021

Yeah it's interesting how freedom is being redefined...

by fortunr | 23rd Jan 22, 1:54pm 1642899251

There are very few things that you can't do if you are fully vaccinated, even in red. Yes, some parts of the hospitality sector is affected and this is very, very unfortunate.

But, If you are one of those nutters who, because of some conspiracy theory, decided not to get vaccinated, and you have no valid medical exemption, then you can cry me a river.

by Nifty1 | 23rd Jan 22, 2:43pm 1642902197

When you're triple jabbed, catch a mild cold and have to isolate at home for 14 days, you'll be loving your freedom.

I guess when your triple jabbed - Atleast you'll be able to freely travel in and out of the country... and attend a concert over summer.. or watch some live sport...perhaps attend a medium sized family or friends wedding... oh nah you can't... Atleast you can go to work - oh nah that's not encouraged. Well you'll finally not have to wear a mask everwhere and show a vaccine pass... oh that's right you do.

Look I know, it's the unvaccinated people's fault, if we get to 90% triple jabbed we'll gain more freedom - just like when we were double jabbed...hmmm

by RickStrauss | 24th Jan 22, 12:10pm 1642979437

Pandemics are complex and difficult, yeah. Takes some real grown-up emotional responses to deal with it.

by user123 | 24th Jan 22, 1:29pm 1642984142

Do you know what else you CAN do if your fully vaccinated? You can catch Omicron and pass it on, just like everyone one else. Actually, it turns out you're better at catching it than the unvaccinated are. Check out the stats from the UK, in almost every age category the vaccinated are catching covid at much higher rates than the unvaccinated. Or maybe look at Israel which is the most vaccinated and boosted country on earth, now they have the worst Omicron outbreak per capita on the planet. Fascinating isn't it?

by RickStrauss | 24th Jan 22, 1:49pm 1642985383

Fascinating lack of education in statistics.

by jerry_NZ | 24th Jan 22, 1:48pm 1642985284

I do not know single unvaccinated person that got Omicron (North America, Australia and Europe). Whoever got it is minimum double vaxxed.

by Brock Landers | 23rd Jan 22, 11:56am 1642892198

The end of fortress New Zealand might be nigh.

Exciting times. Rejoice!

by Foxglove. | 23rd Jan 22, 12:46pm 1642895197

Code Red will not slow omicron’s progress all that much judging by for instance the Netherlands lockdown being ineffective. The question is if less than 50 cases is sufficient to spring code red what will then be the reaction if cases start arriving 0000’s daily? The prospect of that would seem to indicate why there is not an actual, irrevocable commitment to lockdowns not needing to be enforced.

by Brock Landers | 23rd Jan 22, 12:43pm 1642894988

It was confirmed today that the international border is still going to be re-opening at the end of February.

Best news ever.

by Foxglove. | 23rd Jan 22, 12:45pm 1642895117

Tks, must have missed that. Yes good news & have edited my mistake accordingly. Let’s just hope my mistake remains that way!

by Nifty1 | 23rd Jan 22, 12:48pm 1642895317

Not going to happen & red light is not going to stay in its current form when things worsen...wait & watch how long this drags out for.

by MortgageBelt | 23rd Jan 22, 12:53pm 1642895603

“As yet, Cabinet has not decided to postpone the easing of border restrictions from late February, Ardern said.” As yet.

by Yvil | 23rd Jan 22, 2:00pm 1642899618

by Brock Landers

It was confirmed today that the international border is still going to be re-opening at the end of February

Wonderful news if true, I missed this. Are you sure Brock?

by Brock Landers | 23rd Jan 22, 2:12pm 1642900341

It was straight from the horse's mouth.

by HW2 | 23rd Jan 22, 1:17pm 1642897072

Netherlands had 8pm to 5am curfew not exactly lockdown

by Averageman | 23rd Jan 22, 11:50am 1642891808

If only beer had the anti viral in it...

by Rob Reid | 23rd Jan 22, 1:26pm 1642897572

Drink enough beer and COVID will at least feel like the least of your problems next day.

by chebbo | 23rd Jan 22, 11:56am 1642892197

With Christmas out of the way and the ability now to punish individual regions for non-conformity, it should be politically expedient to reimpose vaccine targets again. Change the definition of fully vaccinated to be +1 booster, 90% fully vaccinated or you stay in red.

Its only a matter of time.

by HW2 | 23rd Jan 22, 1:21pm 1642897303

Had my two shots and still get to go everywhere by showing my laminated chemist card. Planning to hold out getting the My Vaccine app, valid only 6 months from issue.

by Beanie | 23rd Jan 22, 2:12pm 1642900359

Valid 6 months from issue or 1st June, whichever comes first.

by Theoracle | 23rd Jan 22, 9:20pm 1642926036

The Vax passport online expires 1 June even if you get it now. It won't be valid 6 months from 30 May if that's what you're planning.

by Cliopedant | 23rd Jan 22, 4:48pm 1642909734

Mindless partisan dross.

by pete johns | 23rd Jan 22, 12:03pm 1642892586

This is the best news , all over in 2-3 months

and during summer . 2 day cold for most ,

some people wont know they have it.

Look after your front line workers guys.

Maybe 2-300 deaths , Here in QLD , numbers

dropping really quickly , same pop as nz .

less than 100 deaths ,

by MortgageBelt | 23rd Jan 22, 12:25pm 1642893945

Hopefully NZers spread this thing as widely as possible, as quickly as possible, otherwise we’ll have it dragged out for 18months under a unnamed lockdown and borders shut.

by pete johns | 23rd Jan 22, 4:22pm 1642908176

Here in Brisbane some people had Omicron party's . To get it over and done with.

Jacinda wouldn't like that

by LASSET | 23rd Jan 22, 6:02pm 1642914130

That's so ridiculously stupid, I highly encourage anyone who thinks it's a good idea to go right ahead.

by powerupkiwi | 23rd Jan 22, 7:19pm 1642918789

What exactly is stupid about that? Catching Omicron is fait accompli. Attempting to gain super immunity while your vaccine is more likely to protect you against symptomatic infection doesn’t seem like a terrible idea. Though I can see why it wouldn’t be officially endorsed.

by Pa1nter | 23rd Jan 22, 8:06pm 1642921574

If other experiences are anything to go by there'll be more than enough infections affecting the health system, supply chains and work force without people intentionally adding to things.

by WhiskeyJack | 24th Jan 22, 7:24am 1642962263

If that is true, why the panic?

by RickStrauss | 24th Jan 22, 12:13pm 1642979602

Probably looking at NSW hospitalisation numbers, for example. It may be only 75% as deadly as earlier strains (made up number, for example) but as it spreads so quickly their hospitalisation numbers are far higher than they were in previous outbreaks. We've been voting for tax cuts instead of funding our health system well for the last couple of decades so we're worse off in our capacity than NSW.

by streetwise | 23rd Jan 22, 12:03pm 1642892631

The Government has caved in to the selfish inconvenienced. The Government advisors including Michael Baker some time ago advised the Government to slam shut the borders.

The sad irony is that those that have been stridently opposed to Covid restrictions are the very people who have (unwittingly?) caused an extension of those restrictions.

by Brock Landers | 23rd Jan 22, 12:34pm 1642894441

It's not too late for you and Micheal Baker to jump in a rowboat and paddle down to the Auckland Islands where you can "slam" the borders shut and be "safe" for a little while longer.

Be quick!

by MortgageBelt | 23rd Jan 22, 1:01pm 1642896093

It is interesting that the academic panic team are being ignored by the govt this time. The spin-doctors must have surveyed the political landscape and decided that too many popularity points would be lost if the borders were further tightened.

by Brock Landers | 23rd Jan 22, 1:17pm 1642897020

The pink one started ranting about how we can "stop" omicron if we all just lockdown hard enough in her last piece. Nobody takes her seriously anymore.

by dumbthoughts | 23rd Jan 22, 7:17pm 1642918626

And in her latest opinion piece, she seems hell-bent on destroying NZ's already suffering hospitality industry (by proudly proclaiming she won't be going out to bars or restaurants).

Perhaps she's too busy going to the beach, suing her employer, or dreaming up ways that Omicron can be eliminated?

I'll still go to my local cafe, restaurant etc to keep supporting them. However, I do suspect many will take the same approach as the Good Dr. If the government has deemed it safe enough for me to go out to eat - provided I have the right paperwork - then who am I to question that? (ok, that is a slightly tongue-in-cheek comment)

by HW2 | 23rd Jan 22, 7:40pm 1642920057

"hell-bent on destroying NZ's already suffering hospitality industry (by proudly proclaiming she won't be going out to bars or restaurants).

Seriously??? Oh My Goodness!

by streetwise | 23rd Jan 22, 7:02pm 1642917748

Brock Landers

Is this all you can offer by way of reply: the witless spouting of juvenile platitudes unworthy of a 12 year old. I will gladly accept criticism if it contains a modicum of wit and intelligence, but your reaction is that of a child throwing his toys out of the cot. Try and inject some considered ideas and interest into your comments...you don't have to be perfect, the readers will make allowances.

by donny11 | 23rd Jan 22, 8:44pm 1642923862

I found Brock’s comment funny

by Brock Landers | 24th Jan 22, 7:42am 1642963346

Hey, if there is room for one more in your team of two feel free to swing by and pick up the pink lady.

Cheerio.

by Pa1nter | 23rd Jan 22, 12:04pm 1642892644

There, that oughta silence all the male Karens.

For about 10 minutes.

by BadRobot | 23rd Jan 22, 12:26pm 1642894005

And I didn't even get to go back into the office........Been working from home since mid August last year.

I was out and about this morning so when I went to the supermarket about 11:30 was wondering why every person and their dog was there.

by MortgageBelt | 23rd Jan 22, 12:17pm 1642893462

Yes, now transition from holidays straight to WFH.

Well, apparently the country can afford it.

by Zachary Smith | 23rd Jan 22, 12:38pm 1642894690

Why are people rushing to the supermarket?

by MortgageBelt | 23rd Jan 22, 12:47pm 1642895241

Panicking as they anticipate 33% of the workforce locked up at home/banned from the workplace for 7 days with a sniffle. Then add all their household as well. Add a few more days for progressive chains of transmission. Then voila - empty supermarket shelves like Sydney.

by Rob Reid | 23rd Jan 22, 1:31pm 1642897888

I expect there will be a lot more robots driving good and stacking it in supermarkets by the time the next pandemic (response) arrives.

by waymad | 23rd Jan 22, 2:49pm 1642902599

Not too many Robotic B-trains in evidence, but....

by BadRobot | 23rd Jan 22, 1:51pm 1642899076

The government wants us to panic on cue.......

by kpnuts | 23rd Jan 22, 5:03pm 1642910603

our internal supply chains are tighter than my wallet - we have a massive shortage of HGV drivers - most already workign very long hours -- if we stick with siolating people for 14 days if they test positive we will very quickly be struggling to stock the shelves people should have been overbuying for the last few weeks when teh supply chain could cope but most wont have and so thre will be more panic once the shelves start looking bare

by RickStrauss | 24th Jan 22, 12:15pm 1642979719

Fear of Smelly Bum Syndrome, apparently. All the toilet paper has gone.

Don't they know how to handstand under their shower?

by Carlos67 | 23rd Jan 22, 12:23pm 1642893835

You would be pretty pissed if you were double vaxxed and basically its lockdown again by a different name. Yep no point keeping the borders closed now, may as well shutdown the MIQ and start letting Kiwis come home. The government continues to cause pain at every level, time to just open up. A few people are going to die, we just have to accept it and not continue to inflict long term damage on everyone else.

by ex agent | 23rd Jan 22, 12:27pm 1642894063

Why would you be pissed off if you are double vaccinated? I am now boosted and pleased to be. If I get Omicron it should be mild hopefully. And I am helping to protect my infant grandchildren and friends who have low immunity.

by Zachary Smith | 23rd Jan 22, 12:32pm 1642894353

I also don't see how this is a lockdown by a different name. I can't see much changing for me or am I missing something?

by frazz | 23rd Jan 22, 12:40pm 1642894858

It's Carlos..sees red most days

by RickStrauss | 24th Jan 22, 12:15pm 1642979757

Yeah, you seem to be missing stuff.

by chebbo | 23rd Jan 22, 12:37pm 1642894667

As noble as it is to try and protect your infant grandchildren, the risk to them from COVID-19 is effectively zero. They will be fine.

Which is good news, since Omicron spreads readily amongst vaccinated household members.

by ex agent | 23rd Jan 22, 12:46pm 1642895199

Tell that to the parents of the infant child who died from Covid in Australia recently.

by chebbo | 23rd Jan 22, 12:58pm 1642895918

Would be happy to, since they will know that the cause of death has not been established yet.

by Carlos67 | 23rd Jan 22, 12:42pm 1642894973

The vaxx is ineffective against Omicron after 30 days. When you finally get Omicron it will be no better or worse than it would have been without vaccination. Some reports are you will get it worse.

by fortunr | 23rd Jan 22, 1:41pm 1642898507

Where did you get this info ? From Facebook ?

by Carlos67 | 23rd Jan 22, 2:25pm 1642901105

Perhaps you guys need to start watching Aljazeera and not our useless MSM sources.

by Nzdano | 23rd Jan 22, 3:14pm 1642904076

Rubbish.

Vaccine is about 90% effective at keeping omicron cases out of ICU.

Not very effective against infection though.

by Hardly | 23rd Jan 22, 5:48pm 1642913305

I think it’s more like 95%, isn’t it 20x more likely to get severe illness without the vaccine and booster? The graphs from Uk/Us have been stark.

by HistoryRepeats | 23rd Jan 22, 2:09pm 1642900192

From what I've read the vaccine is ineffective against infection after about 4 months (so by now most vaccinated Kiwis are not protected against infection). "Booster" lasts only ten weeks against infection - anyone fancy getting shot up with Pfizer every two or three months?

Pfizer CEO himself recently said two doses are not enough, and plans to have a new vaccine ready by March - by which time omicron will be long gone. And omicron has consistently been shown to be far less deadly than previous strains, and most people have very mild symptoms.

So basically the vaccines are pretty much obsolete (though they still give protection against severe disease for the vulnerable - elderly, obese, or existing serious health issues). And as you point out, there's some evidence from the UK and Denmark that the vaccines actually massively INCREASE the chances of infection. Indeed, if you look at observational data, the highest rates of infection are often in the most highly vaccinated countries. Food for thought.

by Carlos67 | 23rd Jan 22, 2:29pm 1642901343

Yes and unfortunately all our media can do is keep pushing the vaxx and booster narrative like its the silver bullet.

by chebbo | 23rd Jan 22, 3:18pm 1642904280

Corporate media are a business like any other; they publish to please whoever is paying them money.

Usually this means advertisers, or in the case of paid subscription models, the readership. Sometimes it means politicians, as demonstrated by Megan Woods recently after she got caught paying OneRoof to publish glowing articles on Kainga Ora, an entity which is she is responsible for as part of her portfolio.

The media outlets currently telling us "The Whole Truth", and " Everything You Need to Know" are the same ones who got bailed out by this government to the tune of $50m at the very start of the pandemic.

Just sayin'.

by waymad | 23rd Jan 22, 3:48pm 1642906090

Cui Bono?

by PineTreez | 23rd Jan 22, 7:49pm 1642920583

"...there's some evidence from the UK and Denmark that the vaccines actually massively INCREASE the chances of infection. Indeed, if you look at observational data, the highest rates of infection are often in the most highly vaccinated countries. Food for thought."

It just might be that comes down to behavioural changes, not greater infectiousness among the vaxed.

People fully vaxed and boosted will likely be going about life near to normal, while the unvaxed will be hunkering down to protect themselves, hence the illusion of reduced trasmission among the unvaxed.

Additionally, many of the vaxed people have had to be vaxed because their circumstances put them or their clients at greater risk, so infection may be more likely among people in that group.

by powerupkiwi | 23rd Jan 22, 10:13pm 1642929217

Wrong. Stop spreading this horses***. How could a vaccination decrease immunity against a pathogen. What you’re talking about is some kind of statistical artefact. There’s no mechanism for that to happen. At worst the vaccine (in our case mRNA and the resulting spike proteins) would be ignored by your adaptive immune system.

But this isn’t even true that it’s ineffective after x days. People seem (and the media) to equate immunity with neutralising antibodies (which act quickly assist the virus). These fade, but your immune system has incredibly complex mechanisms to “remember” the disease. It just takes a day or so to kick into gear, which is probably why you can catch and transmit the disease without letting it get to the point where you’re seriously ill.

And of course it makes sense for Pfizer to update their vaccine for new variants. It doesn’t mean the previous vaccine doesn’t work. Far from it.

by Rob Reid | 23rd Jan 22, 10:50pm 1642931444

"How could a vaccination decrease immunity against a pathogen."

On a population basis, how about mass-vaccination selecting for mutations that escape the vaccines?

On an individual basis, there is some evidence of boosters reducing a person's immune response from infection.

by Carlos67 | 23rd Jan 22, 11:15pm 1642932945

Pretty easy PDK. The vax lowers your bodies immune system while it deals with it and then Omicron comes along that the vax in ineffective against so its totally possible you get hit harder with Omicron than you would have without the vax. The current vax is clearly useless, they are already developing a different vax for Omicron.

by powerupkiwi | 24th Jan 22, 7:02am 1642960947

PUK, not PDK. I talk more rubbish

by user123 | 24th Jan 22, 1:57pm 1642985828

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but PineTreez is not spreading horse****. There is clear data from numerous countries now that after a brief window of +VE the vaccines leave you worse off. You are then more likely to catch Omicron. This is likely due to the fact they vaccines actually hurt your immune system. The numbers don't lie, the UK governments own data shows that's the case. Also the most vaccinated countries have the worst Omicron outbreaks. There's a clear correlation.

And before you call me some sort of conspiracy theorist, you best go look what the EU health authority and the WHO have recently said regarding boosters and your immune system.

by Hardly | 23rd Jan 22, 5:47pm 1642913224

This isn’t true. They haven’t conclusively established the decay in efficacy for delta let alone omicron. Immunity is complex, there are multiple layers to it. Its also noteworthy that vaccines have higher efficacy and compound with natural immunity from exposure.

by Hardly | 23rd Jan 22, 5:44pm 1642913097

It’s not anything close to a lockdown. You can do pretty much anything you want. Why would you misconstrue the facts of the matter?

by pete johns | 23rd Jan 22, 1:45pm 1642898749

So maybe it wont be long that the team of 1 mil kiwis overseas can join Jacinda's team.

When's there 30000 case's a day reported..so maybe 5 times that ' good luck with track & trace, even signing in now is a waste of time .

l feel sorry for all the NZ Health workers that have been treated so poorly and will be asked now to go the extra mile..

by HW2 | 23rd Jan 22, 1:28pm 1642897707

No one I know of wants to be on "jacindas team" not even Clarke G. Did you hear the wedding has been cancelled, not postponed

by CrispyKahawai | 23rd Jan 22, 3:29pm 1642904956

Pathetic

by Trude | 23rd Jan 22, 10:16pm 1642929389

Pretty personal and nasty. Anything meaningful to say, HW2?

by HW2 | 24th Jan 22, 8:12am 1642965133

I will ask you that Trude. What is your point... that we cannot say anything about the PM except sycophantic comments? I am not a fan of the woman, and I am surprised at the number of others that share that view

by Pa1nter | 24th Jan 22, 8:25am 1642965925

The opposite of derision isn't necessarily sycophancy.

by Beanie | 24th Jan 22, 8:26am 1642966018

Nah mate, you are well out of line saying such a nasty, spiteful thing whether it is true or not. If you can't see that, get help.

by RickStrauss | 24th Jan 22, 12:19pm 1642979956

Talkback-Man Derangement Syndrome in action here.

Everyone has political leanings but folk can still behave like adults.

by HW2 | 25th Jan 22, 5:15am 1643040947

Sorry mate you cant require others to do a thing ie act like adults whilst doing the opposite ie acting like a juvenile. I can see what you are

by DTRH | 23rd Jan 22, 5:34pm 1642912472

Friend's and family in uk who have had omicron some have had cold from day or two some no effect on them at all. It has just got to a point that people are just moving along once you have had omicron you have better immunity than if you have booster.seems like government here are trying to keep up fear levels. We will all know over next couple of months.

by Hardly | 23rd Jan 22, 5:49pm 1642913366

You are better off with both. An infection adds to the vaccines efficacy so you are better off with both.

by Hamish | 23rd Jan 22, 12:33pm 1642894388

Schools?

Another year of disrupted learning for our next generation?

by Hardly | 23rd Jan 22, 5:50pm 1642913416

Nothing announced yet. That could change if it gets really heavy/workforce issues. But you know it’s only 6-8 of full on. This is the beginning of the end.

by Zachary Smith | 23rd Jan 22, 12:36pm 1642894590

Well, everyone has had two years to get as fit as they possibly can, lose those extra kilos and improve that metabolism and get vaccinated. The virus has mutated into something considerably milder. Now's as good a time as any to get this over and done with.

by MortgageBelt | 23rd Jan 22, 12:41pm 1642894873

When will the government protect our health in the same manner by limiting visits to KFC/Mc/F&C etc to 1 per fortnight?

High fences in front of rivers & beaches given the drownings this summer?

Compulsory gym visits, and heavy sugar/carbo taxes on all packaged foods.

by HistoryRepeats | 23rd Jan 22, 1:29pm 1642897780

Agree - it's a shame that in two years the government hasn't done jack about increasing hospital and ICU capacity in a system that has always been woefully underprepared for any sort of health crisis whatsoever.

by christlucas | 23rd Jan 22, 12:57pm 1642895868

With the vaccinated spreading Omicron a lot more than the unvaxed is it time to lockdown the vaccinated to keep the unvaxed safe? I think that is how the game works. Please correct me if I am wrong

It is clear from the table (unadjusted but still very potent) that the vaccinated is being infected at far greater levels than the unvaccinated. Except < 18 years old. This is disastrous

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uplo…

page 43

UK continues to give us clear, detailed, granular data all along, better than all other nations. Their reporting (on page 48 of week 2, 2022 report as well as in prior weekly reports): “recent observations from UKHSA surveillance data that N antibody levels are lower in individuals who acquire infection following 2 doses of vaccination” is very alarming as it points to an impact on immunity (natural ‘recovered’ immunity) by the vaccine. En face, it suggests that if infected post 2nd dose, the generated immune response is hobbled/damaged (N antibodies are nucleocapsid antibodies)

which is why Eu regulators and the Who are no longer recommending boosters and maybe why the UK has just done away with mandates etc.

Safe and effective though!

by CWBW | 23rd Jan 22, 1:07pm 1642896420

When a minority has the power to hold the rest of the country hostage, democracy; and with it, individual freedoms ceases.

by ex agent | 23rd Jan 22, 1:19pm 1642897171

A huge majority are vaccinated and support government policies. You are in a very small minority.

by CWBW | 23rd Jan 22, 1:25pm 1642897502

Show me your majority proof and I will show you how to come up with bogus polls.

by frazz | 23rd Jan 22, 1:36pm 1642898200

Is that you Donald?

by linklater01 | 23rd Jan 22, 2:45pm 1642902309

CWBW,

What does that mean? Just who are this minority you speak of? If you are referring to the government, then I assume you accept that they were elected by a clear majority of those who voted.

Do you accept that by far the majority of Kiwis are vaccinated? If not, then you are simply a conspiracy theorist and not worth talking to.

by Rob Reid | 23rd Jan 22, 1:51pm 1642899067

Thanks for the links

Page 43 indeed indicates that there are more reported cases of the vaccinated, but the un-vaxxed are more likely to be hospitalised or buried.

Regarding indications that repeated boosters could mess up immune response, I found this item. I think I'd rather get Omicron than a booster:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-11/repeat-booster-shots…

by pete johns | 23rd Jan 22, 2:10pm 1642900213

Rob you are correct , we are dbl vac + had omicron , 2 day cold.

now we have super immunity , booster the oldies etc...

as for vaxxing your young kids , l wouldnt..

now shoot me down

by HistoryRepeats | 23rd Jan 22, 2:19pm 1642900763

Total insanity to inject young children, who are at almost zero risk from covid, with a novel technology (from a pharmaceutical company with a criminal record) that has had minimal testing using small sample sizes, has no long-term safety data, and which multiple studies suggest can cause myocarditis, particularly in young males. Especially now that delta is rapidly being displaced by omicron, which appears to be an order of magnitude less deadly.

by Rob Reid | 23rd Jan 22, 4:52pm 1642909923

Agreed. I'm vaxed, and I'll do more research before we decide for our young kids (under 12, no health issues), but I expect the decision will be no unless some very surprising info comes through.

by pete johns | 23rd Jan 22, 5:23pm 1642911804

Wise man Rob , no rush , lets give it a couple of years

by user123 | 24th Jan 22, 2:02pm 1642986151

Vaccinating children will be looked back upon as one of the darkest days in human history. I still can't believe we've even come to this point for a virus that is NOT harmful to them. This whole thing went well off the rails sometime in 2021....

by Albert2020 | 23rd Jan 22, 2:00pm 1642899635

That wouldn’t have anything to do with the vaccinated being a very large majority now would it?

by CrispyKahawai | 23rd Jan 22, 3:28pm 1642904934

"Please correct me if I'm wrong"

Having read through the link that you posted, it's honestly pretty difficult to work out how you came to such... bizarre conclusions. Your reading and comprehension skills must be shocking...

1. Vaccinated do not spread more than unvaccinated. This has been proven beyond doubt SO MANY TIMES.

2. More vaccinated people are being infected because far more people are vaccinated.

3. This is a direct quote from the link:

"the overall higher profile of antibody levels in those who have experienced past infection is evident; both vaccination post infection and breakthrough infection following vaccination are expected to boost existing antibody levels."

I'll help you out here: if you're unvaccinated and get infected, your antibody levels are higher than if you are vaccinated and don't get infected. But if you're unvaccinated and get infected, your starting antibody levels are practically zero. This is explains why (and the paper kindly covers this too, and I quote):

"Nevertheless, protection against hospitalisation is much greater than that against symptomatic disease, in particular after a booster dose, where vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation is close to 90%."

In essence, you're better off getting infected if you're already vaccinated. Which is extremely obvious.

4. The WHO, to be more clear, are saying that there is not yet evidence that children and adolescents need booster doses. That is a very specific statement, compared with your vague tripe.

Need help with anything else?

by K.W. | 23rd Jan 22, 4:56pm 1642910198

In the month of Dec, both Delta and Omicron were spreading in NSW. Of those cases that were genome sequenced the infections were as follows:

Delta - 48% vaccinated (1268 cases) and 17% unvaccinated (450 cases). 20% ineligible (530 children).

Omicron - 80% vaccinated (1152 cases) and 2% unvaccinated (32 cases). 3% ineligible (41 children).

That Omicron sure does love the vaccinated.

by CrispyKahawai | 23rd Jan 22, 5:31pm 1642912294

If you believe that you'll believe anything.

by David Chaston | 23rd Jan 22, 7:54pm 1642920883

We worry about poor financial literacy. Your inability to understand basic arithmetic relationships is awful - far worse than 'poor financial literacy'.

You have just shown that the unvaxxed have almost four times the risk that the vaxxed have, based on your figures - which I don't think you were trying to point out!

by Foxglove. | 23rd Jan 22, 8:04pm 1642921498

Even I, not much past the abacus level, can see that!

by Beanie | 23rd Jan 22, 11:00pm 1642932010

Ok, I will admit I can't figure out how David concluded from those figures unvaxed are 4 times more likely to get omicron than the vaxxed. Can you explain it to me Foxglove?

by K.W. | 24th Jan 22, 12:20pm 1642980059

The post was intended to highlight the difference in vaccinated infection rates when exposed to Delta and Omicron. Not adding them all together and concluding that the unvaccinated are more likely to get infected. As Omicron takes over from Delta, the infection rate mirrors the general population vaccination rate. The conclusion from this is that there is zero protection from infection afforded by the vaccination, so there is zero point in locking out the unvaccinated from society. Finally, we really are "all in this together".

by PineTreez | 23rd Jan 22, 8:05pm 1642921526

Many of the vaxed people are vaxed because their circumstances expose them to greater risk of contact with the virus, so as the Omicron wave starts it will (initially) be higher among the vaxed (eg essential workers who are in contact with many others).

As the wave progresses it will then capture more of the general population, and the predominance will show a swing moreso towards the unvaxed, who have chosen to place themselves at greater risk of illness and spread unless they are able to successfully isolate themselves for months.

by MortgageBelt | 23rd Jan 22, 9:03pm 1642925007

A significant portion of vaxed people are only motivated to get vaxed in order to keep their jobs and income. They see only a minor or possible health benefit from the therapeutic injection.

by napierboy | 23rd Jan 22, 9:59pm 1642928374

LOL.

When 90% of people are vaccinated, of course the majority of cases are going to be of vaxxed people. But you need to look at the rate per capita!

This study in the US (Why COVID-19 is Still the Pandemic of the Unvaccinated | Time) looking at several starts show that between 1.6-8.8 weekly admissions per 100,000 people are of vaccinated people, and anywhere between 39.6-117.8 per 100,000 people admitted to hospital are unvaxxed.

And this is with Omicron!

I hope all you unvaxxed enjoy your stay in hospital!

by Noncents | 24th Jan 22, 6:56am 1642960567

"When 90% of people are vaccinated, of course the majority of cases are going to be of vaxxed people."

Reread your sentence. Then ask yourself...Does that sound like an effective vaccine?

by Pa1nter | 24th Jan 22, 8:06am 1642964776

It sounds like the sort of vaccine you get given the time constraints on development and the changing nature of the virus.

Read your comment and ask yourself, is anyone promoting the vaccine (or any medicine for that matter) as being 100% effective, for all time.

Maybe some of you guys need glasses or a hearing aid.

by Nzdan | 24th Jan 22, 9:31am 1642969913

You do realize that no vaccine is 100% effective? E.g. The chicken pox vaccine is around 85% to 90% effective. Pfizer's Covid vaccine claims 95%.

by RickStrauss | 24th Jan 22, 1:54pm 1642985674

Doesn't sound like they realise that, no.

by napierboy | 23rd Jan 22, 10:03pm 1642928629

LOL

Enjoy your stay in hospital. Unvaxxed people should be charged $10,000 per night they spend in hospital due to a COVID infection. Everyone else has done their bit to get vaxxed, why should our access to healthcare be compromised because didn't take the necessary precautions?!

by pete johns | 24th Jan 22, 8:19am 1642965554

Hey Guys , if you are unvaxxed , old , obese , you will clog up the Hospital system , and some will Die , simple as that.

Mean while people wanting urgent surgerys & treatments....good luck

by Carinaz | 23rd Jan 22, 1:15pm 1642896941

Australia with rest of the world moving forward :

https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-international-travel-rules-…

How long...After Omicron will cry and wait for another.....New Normal in NZ.

by christlucas | 23rd Jan 22, 1:29pm 1642897754

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVxmAIKjYM4&t=2s

This video is a kicker as well. Deaths in NZ.

Only watch if you want the narrative challenged on vaccine safety

by Gen X-ploited | 23rd Jan 22, 1:33pm 1642897981

Is this true?

Jacinda Ardern will force household Covid contacts to isolate for 24 DAYS in new crackdown as New Zealand braces for Omicron outbreak

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10430013/Omicron-2022-Jacinda-…

by AndrewRiddell5886 | 23rd Jan 22, 1:51pm 1642899073

It is a David Seymour reckon.

by MortgageBelt | 23rd Jan 22, 1:59pm 1642899583

14 days for a ‘case’ then 10 days for contacts.

Should bring the workforce to a standstill quite effectively.

by Yvil | 23rd Jan 22, 2:06pm 1642899990

It's stupid, it means a close contact has to isolate longer than an infected person… stupid

by Brock Landers | 24th Jan 22, 1:48pm 1642985280

This is correct. It was the same in the UK. It's best to be the first in the household to catch it.

by pete johns | 23rd Jan 22, 2:15pm 1642900531

Mortgage , Jacinda will change these rules very quickly , as they have in ozzy.

Start at 14 days , then 7 , then 5 , then if you (nurses) dont feel to bad just keep on working...

by singautim | 23rd Jan 22, 4:30pm 1642908646

It mutates. Sometimes more lethal and sometimes less. Usually the most lethal versions gives the worst symptoms. Therefore if you might have Covid and feel really ill please keep well away from others but if you are not ill please pass that mild version to me before the dangerous one finds me.

During WW1 the worst flu cases in the trenches were evacuated out and on their way were handled by dozens of stretcher bearers. The mild cases just stayed put in their trench. That contributed to it infecting one third of the world's population and killing 10% of them.

by waymad | 23rd Jan 22, 2:19pm 1642900793

It will simply be widely disregarded-especially if no tests......

by pete johns | 23rd Jan 22, 4:48pm 1642909730

waymad correct , how are they going to test 100k people each day , some people may cue for 5 hours most wont.

NZ is 6 weeks behind QLD , we didnt have any restrictions except wear a mask in some buildings . Numbers are quickly

declining here in QLD . Life is normal . 105 deaths.....same pop as NZ .... a couple were over 100 years old .

Fellow kiwi's you have 2 weeks before you get 25000 cases reported each day...maybe 75000 each day not reported.

Jacinda & her media will love this..

by K.W. | 23rd Jan 22, 5:13pm 1642911191

Yes it is true.

"Positive cases

The isolation period for COVID-19 cases in the community is at least 14 days, including 72 hours symptom-free.
Your household members will need to remain in isolation for at least 10 days after you have been released as a case. This means they will need to be in isolation for longer than you as the case will."

Note that household members may be in isolation for LONGER than 24 days, as the time period resets if someone else in the household contracts covid after the first person. So if Person A gets covid, then Person B develops covid a week later, then Person C and D have to isolate for 24 days from Person B's test result. If Person C gets covid a week after Person B, then Person D has to isolate for 38 days.

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-no…

by waymad | 23rd Jan 22, 5:29pm 1642912185

Two big assumptions here:

Everyone with covid recognizes it as such, as opposed to flu, cold, RSV, or a bit of the sniffles.
And then trots down to somewhere capable of identifying them as a Case.

Because for some, perhaps a majority, it will be easier to keep schtum, hit the OTC meds and carry on.....

by Foxglove. | 23rd Jan 22, 8:57pm 1642924671

As well, recall the Doctor at Middlemore, general admissions are streaming in with Delta, but unaware of it. So too, out there in the suburbs, untold numbers who had symptoms but didn’t want to be carted off to MIQ and/or scared stiff of a reduced pay packet through absence. Nothing to say any of that won’t repeat, and now, not just In Auckland.

by AndrewRiddell5886 | 23rd Jan 22, 1:52pm 1642899138

Sad to read these bad reckons from so many armchair epidemiologists and eugenics supporters.

by Albert2020 | 23rd Jan 22, 2:01pm 1642899693

I know right, nothing like a covid piece to bring out the nutters.

by Essen | 23rd Jan 22, 3:46pm 1642905994

Where did you go to med school?

by Wrong John | 23rd Jan 22, 3:09pm 1642903758

She's just loving it. The power of it all is intoxicating. She can be heard laughing aloud in her bathroom after dark.

by napierboy | 23rd Jan 22, 9:46pm 1642927598

Oh yeah, she's so happy about having to postpone her wedding. Like everyone, the PM is just trying her best to navigate the pandemic and cause as few fatalities as possible. The reality is, the vaccine is at best 80% effective. So even if all 5 million Kiwis got vaccinated, there would be 20%, approx 1 million kiwis who are unprotected even though they're vaccinated. That could be me or you, no one knows. Good luck if you think Covid should just run rampant through the population in that way. It would devastate our country more than the current controls are.

by Nzdan | 24th Jan 22, 9:34am 1642970065

Simple minded people look at the Covid death stats while completely disregarding the wider implications of overwhelmed hospital ICU's on other health needs.

by RickStrauss | 24th Jan 22, 2:03pm 1642986239

So are the Facebook-Talkback Johns. Never been so sure they know something others don't than now. Loving it, based on their rants on social media and forums.

by Caughtinthemiddle | 23rd Jan 22, 3:42pm 1642905757

Three observations;

1. Efforts to eliminate Omicron is just folly hence no lockdown so some commonsense there.

2. Summer and Covid do not get along. The hospitals don't have acute exacerbation of COPD / asthma to contend with. Similarly RSV in the kids, and flu are not troubling us yet.

3. As a population we have high levels of immunity. Recent uptake in high numbers with boosters available.

I'd be happy to see this strain run its course with hospital admissions guiding the public health response with a view to "controlling" the surge as best we can if hospitals become very busy. If we hold it at arms length we may have other Winter pathogens overlapping the surge with vaccination effectiveness on the wane.

by Notgreedykiwi | 23rd Jan 22, 4:17pm 1642907849

The world has not ended with 2 years of covid. Demand is so high that everything is going off the shelves. Inflation is up due to demand.

What is the reason for changing light settings oe putting any restrictions now that we are almost fully vaccinated and boosting going ahead at a fast pace.

Is this just to have control?

by Mr Frank | 23rd Jan 22, 4:26pm 1642908418

Omicron to the housing rescue! Just in time before the OCR review on Feb 23.

Mr Orr is yet again busy rewriting his speech notes. Omicron is being kind by giving him ample time.

by Pa1nter | 23rd Jan 22, 5:04pm 1642910653

The reality is we just don't know whatll happen. Regardless of what the government will or won't do, we know that the business sector is going to need credit to bridge the next fair while. Credit they may not have needed under normal circumstances, so borrowing at any rate is an increased cost of doing business.

I don't know how to seperate that issue out from the housing market.

by Mr Frank | 23rd Jan 22, 8:48pm 1642924111

Bang on. Housing is being used against loans for so many small businesses.

I predict the govt to revise the CCFA regulations pronto and credit to flow at pace once again since there are no wage subsidies.

by EpsomArtsandCrafts | 23rd Jan 22, 5:08pm 1642910896

Maybe the ANZ will change its prediction of the OCR from 2% to 3% now back to 2% again

Also maybe we will need a new type of emergency worker - truck drivers - if they get hit with having to isolate

by Mr Frank | 23rd Jan 22, 8:47pm 1642924027

Yes, see ANZ revise their estimates over the next few weeks. Honestly, no one can predict the future with Omicron around.

by HouseMouse | 23rd Jan 22, 11:14pm 1642932860

But anyone with half a brain could see that we would have an outbreak in the near future that would disturb the economy.

I am not a fan of his, but at least Shamubeel Eaqub was stating late last year that 2022 would be another messy year with covid and the economy.

by Gummy Bear Hero | 23rd Jan 22, 5:35pm 1642912536

Covid does not cause dire rear ! ... can someone tell the mad hooas who cleaned our Countdown out of bog roll , today ...

... the only thing which'll give us the sh*ts is the resumption of Ardern's daily 1 pm propaganda waffle fests from the Podium of Struth ... covid itself wont !

by Dairy farmer joe | 23rd Jan 22, 7:13pm 1642918438

Hi Gummy,where you been,I have missed your comments- so amusing & right on point.Just what the team of 5 million need to get them through this.Cheers!

by K.W. | 24th Jan 22, 12:26pm 1642980416

Its got nothing to do with people hoarding toilet paper. Toilet paper is a bulky item and its difficult to keep a large amount of it on the shelves. As more people go shopping, more people buy toilet paper, and the shelves get cleared out quickly. Its not that the same number of people go shopping and buy more toilet paper. The supermarkets were busy yesterday with lots of people, not half empty with a bunch of shoppers with 10 toilet roll packs in their trolleys. But "toilet paper hoarding" makes for better clickbait headlines. Then of course, more people think "I better go do some shopping before everything is gone", and more people equals less toilet paper. And so on.

by TonyBarnett | 23rd Jan 22, 5:53pm 1642913632

It is unbelievable how unprepared NZ is to fight Omicron.

Every Kiwi should have access to a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) so that they can stay at home if they have Covid-19. This is a key technology to help slow the spread of Covid-19. The government has been too slow adopting this technology & consequently there is limited supply in NZ of RATs.

Regulating against importing RATs was a big mistake. Most countries have successfully adopted the technology,

Similarly N95 masks. There is limited supply. They should be readily available in chemists & supermarkets.

It was reported that there are 108 icu beds in NZ available for Covid-19 patients. The Guardian reported that 273 icu beds would be needed for NSW. NSW has a population of 8.2 million. Clearly NZ will need to lockdown through inadequate investment in our icu system & many people will not get adequate health care.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jan/07/almost-all-12500…

by Pa1nter | 23rd Jan 22, 5:56pm 1642913781

Next time vote for a dramatically higher healthcare budget.

by Foxglove. | 23rd Jan 22, 8:24pm 1642922654

Or not vote for $ millions to be siphoned to consultants scheming an entire restructuring of hospital services. yes there may be merit in that but not in the midst of a pandemic. for a start it has undermined morale and increased uncertainty at the coalface, the hospitals themselves, where that money would have been far better invested. Just as crazy timing as deciding that nurses and suchlike deserved a pay freeze.

by Pa1nter | 23rd Jan 22, 8:37pm 1642923429

It's not actually being promoted in the media but the nurses are in the process of potentially a big pay bump to make their income more in line with straya.

Sometimes when wheels are turning it's more costly to stop them than keep going.

by napierboy | 23rd Jan 22, 9:49pm 1642927746

Exactly. And the tax hikes that come with it! We pay some of the lowest taxes in the world, and the reality of that is we get the health service we deserve.

by refactornz | 24th Jan 22, 11:07am 1642975625

We pay some of the lowest taxes in the world

Except that's not true

by Nzdan | 24th Jan 22, 9:38am 1642970302

Regulating against importing RATs was a big mistake? Watch as a flood of cheap knock offs from ali-express enters the market which consistently provides false negatives.

by K.W. | 24th Jan 22, 12:31pm 1642980717

And of those ICU beds, because of the Labour Party dictate to the Health Boards, Maori patients get priority access to them regardless of medical need. Welcome to our apartheid health system.

by Beanie | 24th Jan 22, 2:03pm 1642986184

Such a policy would be so wrong, that I doubt it is true.

by Colin Nemo | 23rd Jan 22, 6:43pm 1642916611

I reached an epiphany after reading some of everyone's posts today and thank you all for your contributions. The fact that Omicron had entered into the community indicates that THE GOVERNMENT'S COVID POLICY AND INTERVENTION HAS FAILED.

The government has failed to stop Omicron from leaving the quarantine facilities after the infected individual had supposedly been detained in MIQ for 14+ days. They have failed to test the infected individual correctly on different/ multiple days with false COVID negative/s before letting the infected individuals into the community and/or failed to keep the infected individual in MIQ if they were truly tested COVID positive. Their failure has meant that Omicron is going to spread and everyone in NZ is now forced into traffic light system 'red' with businesses and people's livelihoods negatively hit with restrictions. Also, the government has hasn't investigated or provided a explanation on how this failure happened. With this knowledge, I know with 100% confidence, they will fail everyone in NZ again due to their actions, inactions and/or errors.

by Pa1nter | 23rd Jan 22, 6:49pm 1642916987

Turn it down mate.

by Rob Reid | 23rd Jan 22, 7:45pm 1642920318

Well yeah, but it's only Omicron. It's good for outcompeting Delta - Dr. John Campbell recently explained that Omicron provides good immunity against Delta, but not the other way around (another stroke of luck).

And the PM has been saying "when Omicron enters the community...", so she has been setting reasonable expectations.

by Nzdan | 24th Jan 22, 10:11am 1642972302

The Ministry of Health has failed to stop Omicron, our unelected government department charged with managing the outbreak.

by sunchap | 23rd Jan 22, 6:45pm 1642916720

The UK has thousands of Omicron cases per day and is eliminating all Covid controls by the end of March 2022, whereas NZ has less than 20 cases of Omicron and is increasing the controls. Labour is ignoring the scientific reality - that Omicron is ten times less deadly than Delta; with an infection fatality rate of about 0.1% ie less than the flu (J Ioannidis).

Our PM is a nutter, who is destroying this country solely because she thinks Covid is a political winner.

by taimaiakka0 | 23rd Jan 22, 7:07pm 1642918026

Happy Realization Sunchap.

by K.W. | 24th Jan 22, 12:37pm 1642981027

Not only that, but overseas experience (South Africa, UK) shows the faster Omicron rips through a population, the quicker it burns out. Any attempt to slow it down will simply drag the infection wave out. The aim should have been to get through it as quickly as possible, with the least amount of time experiencing disruption, then go back to normal life like the UK and Ireland. Whereas we appear to be heading into ever tightening restrictions which will last for months on end.

by eskyrider | 23rd Jan 22, 7:49pm 1642920588

Doctor Strangelove here.

I have just finished my latest experiment. I have impregnated all the toilet paper with Covid vaccine in a non-descript country called sheepland. I have mixed and manuddled my own formula.

So far the results have been most gratifying. The toilet paper has been flying off the shelves. The only side effect is it creates a tendency for the users to vote Labour.

by waymad | 23rd Jan 22, 9:09pm 1642925388

Wait, what? You survived that bomb ride?

by Foxglove. | 24th Jan 22, 8:35am 1642966537

Slim Pickens rides again! Great accent though.

by napierboy | 23rd Jan 22, 9:43pm 1642927383

We've defeated Delta and now we're about to show the world how to defeat Omicron.

by Small Kev | 23rd Jan 22, 9:48pm 1642927716

10 days for contact. So an infected child at school can potentially force many to go into lock down/ isolation…

by Pragmatist | 23rd Jan 22, 9:49pm 1642927751

Any chance the disabling comments on covid related articles policy could be reinstated?

by Pa1nter | 23rd Jan 22, 10:06pm 1642928789

You don't fancy the odds against beating the stupid out of people?

by Pragmatist | 24th Jan 22, 7:21am 1642962087

Idiocracy the movie is being reclassified as a historic dramatisation as we speak.

by Solve_it | 23rd Jan 22, 10:26pm 1642929998

Can't help but overall agree with this comment. Amusing at times but generally quite disturbing!

by Just Some Advice | 24th Jan 22, 7:13am 1642961628

You would have to do the same with housing articles.

by sunchap | 24th Jan 22, 12:16am 1642936573

I wonder if any Kiwi journalist will ever admit that Israel, the most highly vaxxed country in the world, has the highest rate of Covid per capita?

https://m.theepochtimes.com/israel-one-of-most-vaccinated-countries-in-…

by Pa1nter | 24th Jan 22, 1:40am 1642941654

Yet nowhere near the highest death rate per capita, thus showing the efficacy of the vaccines.

Why do people who insist on telling people not to trust the mainstream media then jump straight into absorbing information from even less credible sources.

by GV 27 | 24th Jan 22, 7:44am 1642963473

Ego.

by HistoryRepeats | 24th Jan 22, 4:54pm 1642996440

Vaccine efficacy is measured in multiple ways - efficacy against severe disease and death, which is reasonably good and lasts for a few months; or efficacy against infection - which isn't great with omicron, and drops rapidly over time (and there's some evidence in the UK and Denmark observational data suggesting it turns negative). So Israel and other countries with super high vaccination rates often have the highest case rates. Seems the current first-generation vaccines are rubbish for preventing spread, but good at protecting the vulnerable from severe illness.

by Zachary Smith | 24th Jan 22, 9:35am 1642970127

I have enjoyed reading the comments, except those calling for censorship. Good work everyone, except those folk.

by Pathos | 25th Jan 22, 9:58am 1643057902

Yes! Censorship indeed!

A number of posts that were here yesterday appear to have gone.