PoliticsOctober 22, 2021

Live updates, October 22: Two Covid cases confirmed in Northland; another triple digit day with 129 delta cases confirmed

The Bulletin editor

Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 22, by Stewart Sowman-Lund. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz. Help support our Covid coverage – join Members today.

Today’s key headlines

There are 129 community cases of Covid-19 – our second triple digit day in a row.
Nine of today’s cases are in Waikato, all linked.
There are also two new cases in Northland, confirmed at 3pm.
There are 65 new mystery cases with 195 unlinked from the past fortnight.
Covid-related hospitalisations have risen to 51 with five in ICU.

The traffic light system, in brief

A new three-tiered traffic light system will be introduced when each DHB region hits 90% fully vaccinated.
Auckland will be able to move earlier: once its three DHBs hit that same 90% doubled jabbed milestone.
At green and orange, businesses previously considered high-risk can fully open to vaccinated customers.
At red, businesses will be able to operate with some restrictions.
The South Island may move to the new framework earlier – but only if all its DHBs hit 90% double vaccinated.
Still confused? Read our handy explainer here.

7.00pm: Northland locations of interest added following today’s two positive cases

A number of locations of interest in Northland have been added to the Ministry of Health’s website following this afternoon’s confirmation of two positive cases in Kaikohe (see 3.25pm update).

They are GAS Kaihu in Dargaville (Sunday October 17, 4.15pm-4.30pm), Mobil Kaikohe (Tuesday October 19, 5.15pm-5.45pm) and Countdown Kaikohe (Tuesday October 19, 4.15pm-5.30pm).

A number of locations in Te Awamutu have also been added this evening after nine new cases in Waikato were reported today. People in Te Awamutu were today urged to get tested if they have symptoms as the Waikato DHB is trying to determine if there is any undetected spread in the area.

The Te Awamutu locations are Countdown for different times on Thursday October 14, Saturday October 16 and Monday October 18 and FreshChoice (Tuesday October 19, 12.40pm-1.46pm). FreshChoice Leamington in Cambridge was also added (Sunday October 17, 10.30am-11.40am).

Numerous locations across the Auckland region were also added today, including Long Bay beach on the North Shore for 12pm-4.30pm on Saturday October 16, and several bus trips between Constellation Station and Smales Farm on the North Shore on Saturday October 16 and Monday October 18. People who were on any of the bus trips at the relevant times should stay at home, test immediately as well as five days after exposure, and stay at home until a negative result is returned.

5.15pm: Auckland hospitals ready for increasing numbers of Covid patients, say DHBs

Hospitals in Auckland are well placed to care for increasing numbers of Covid-19 cases requiring their care, according to the Northern Region Health Coordination Centre (NRHCC).

Covid-19 hospitalisations reached a new high of 51 today, with all but one of those spread across three Auckland hospitals (24 in Auckland City Hospital, 18 in Middlemore and eight in North Shore Hospital). Five of those are in ICU. According to a press release from the NRHCC sent this afternoon, there are 129 resourced ICU/HDU beds across the region, which are currently at 86% capacity in the Auckland DHB catchment, 50% in Waitematā and 44% in Counties Manukau.

In the press release, NRHCC lead Margie Apa said hospitals had been proactively increasing negative pressure capacity and improving ventilation within ED, ICU and a number of wards for “many months”. “Work currently being carried out across all hospitals to build more negative pressure rooms is part of the long-term planning as part of future-proofing capacity,” she said.

Apa said intensive care bed spaces may be used as dedicated Covid-19 patient areas, while other areas across the region will continue to be used for non-Covid-19 patients who may need intensive care.

“As part of resilience and surge planning, the DHBs plan for a range of potential scenarios and continuously upgrade and improve facilities. DHBs never stop improving facilities, and that is obvious
right now as the hospitals continue to build negative pressure capacity.”

Concerns around New Zealand’s ICU capacity have been raised frequently since the delta outbreak began, especially since cases and hospitalisations in Auckland have continued to rise.

5.00pm: Whakaari defendants to face trial in 2023

The 13 defendants accused of health and safety breaches in the lead-up to 2019’s deadly Whakaari eruption will go to trial in 2023, reports RNZ.

In November last year, just before the first anniversary of the disaster that killed 22 and seriously injured many others, WorkSafe announced it was laying charges against 13 organisations and individuals: the island’s owner Whakaari Management Limited and its directors Andrew, James and Peter Buttle; GNS Science; the National Emergency Management Agency; White Island Tours Limited; Volcanic Air Safaris Limited; Aerius Limited; Kahu NZ Limited; Inflite Charters Limited; ID Tours New Zealand Limited; and Tauranga Tourism Services Limited.

The charges do not relate to events on the day of the eruption, or the rescue efforts.

All defendants have pleaded not guilty. At a virtual court hearing this morning, judge Evangelos Thomas set a date for a four-month trial beginning in July 2023, saying delays and pressure on the courts caused by Covid-19 meant it was unlikely the trial could be held any earlier. It’s not yet been decided where the trial will be held.

3.45pm: A worthwhile read

We now know what it will take to move the country out of the alert level system and into the new traffic light framework: 90% double vaccinated across all DHBs. But, the government has come under fire for choosing not to set a separate Māori vaccination rate.

In an essay for The Guardian published earlier this week, Morgan Godfery said: “In Kawerau one thing impedes the effort to vaccinate Māori – New Zealand’s history”. That piece feels especially pertinent today.

Here’s an extract:

Over 130,000 thousand New Zealanders made their way to a vaccination centre over the weekend, smashing the government’s goal and lifting Auckland’s vaccination rate to just shy of 90%. But underneath that success, shocking inequities remain. The vaccination rate for Pacific peoples still lags the rate for Pākehā, or European New Zealanders, and the Māori rate lags further still. Only 63% of Māori have had their first shot. For Pākehā, it’s 84%. This is partly due to geography. If you inspect the government’s vaccination map, a national register laying out every vaccine centre in New Zealand, you might notice something startling: there are barely any vaccine centres in rural Māori communities. This essay asks why.

Read the full piece here

3.25pm: Ministry of Health confirms two Covid-19 cases in Northland

Two Covid-19 cases in Northland have officially been confirmed by the Ministry of Health after earlier reports in the media.

It comes just two days after the region returned to alert level two after more than a week under level three restrictions.

The new cases are isolating near Kaihohe after visiting the area from Auckland under a travel exemption. The two cases are contacts of a recently diagnosed case in Auckland. They are not linked to the earlier reported cases who visited Northland.

According to the ministry, the pair were tested on October 20. However, their positive results were not included in today’s case numbers as their test results were received after the Ministry’s daily reporting period. A case investigation is under way and so far it has identified a limited number of close contacts. These individuals are currently being tested.

Interviews are also being undertaken to determine any locations of interest. People living in the Kaikohe area are asked to monitor the Ministry of Health’s locations of interest page which will be regularly updated.

Additional testing in the area is being arranged and details will be available on the Healthpoint website.

The ministry reminded those in Northland to get vaccinated this weekend if they are not already.

2.50pm: Two Covid cases reported in Northland

Two Covid cases have been confirmed in Northland today, according to a Facebook post from the Ngāti Hine Health Trust.

Northland District Health Board confirmed the two positive cases today, says the post.

“Locations of interest are currently being determined but whānau between Kaikohe and Kaitaia are being urged to get tested.”

According to the post there is a third possible case at Parua Bay in Whangārei Heads.

Northland moved from alert level three to level two on Tuesday night after no further cases were found following two Covid-positive women travelling through the region.

Parua Bay Tavern has posted on Facebook that a family member of one of its staff members has tested positive and it is closing as a precaution.

2.30pm: The Friday Quiz!

It’s been a big day so sit back, relax and test your knowledge of the week that’s been with The Spinoff’s now famous Friday News Quiz.

Quiz not working on mobile? Click here.

2.15pm: Today’s key numbers, charted

Another milestone in daily cases and hospitalisations today.

Here is how the outbreak’s looking through some of the charts from our Covid Tracker page, available here.

1.50pm: Third Pfizer dose approved for immunocompromised

Immunocompromised people over the age of 12 will now be able to access a third primary dose of the Pfizer vaccine, confirmed the Ministry of Health.

The move was signalled earlier in the week but was awaiting final sign off.

“Individuals who are severely immunocompromised are at a higher risk of severe outcomes from Covid-19 and might not produce a sufficiently strong immune response after two doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine,” said the national director of the Covid-19 vaccination programme Jo Gibbs. “A third primary dose may be beneficial and can be administered at least eight weeks after the second dose,”

Individuals who meet the eligibility criteria will need to be prescribed a third dose by their GP or other specialist and present the script when accessing the third primary dose.

This announcement is distinct from an announcement on booster doses for the general population, clarified Gibbs. Boosters have not yet been approved by the government but it’s expected they will be soon.

1.10pm: Another triple digit day with 129 delta cases confirmed

Another grim record on the Covid front with 129 new delta cases announced in the community. That’s the biggest daily case count across the entire pandemic and the second triple digit day in a row.

Of today’s cases, 120 are in Auckland and nine are in the Waikato. So far, 65 cases remain unlinked to the outbreak. There are now 195 mystery cases from the past two weeks. All of today’s Waikato cases have been linked to the outbreak, however there remain four unlinked cases in the region.

“Waikato DHB is continuing to carry out testing throughout the region, to help determine any undetected community spread of Covid-19,” said the Ministry of Health. “We are urging anyone in Waikato – in particular, people in Te Awamutu – to get tested if they have symptoms.”

Of yesterday’s 102 cases, almost half – 48 – were infectious while in the community.

We’ve also hit a new record for the number of Covid-positive people in hospitals. There are now 51 hospitalised with Covid-19, including five still in intensive care.

The latest vaccine and testing numbers

There were 27,831 tests nationwide yesterday, with 13,763 of those processed in Auckland and 4,476 swabs taken in Waikato.

Meanwhile, on the vaccine front, 41,294 doses were administered nationwide yesterday consisting of 10,066 first doses and 31,228 second. The nationwide counter now sits on 69% fully vaccinated, well off the 90% target needed to move down to the new traffic light system.

In Auckland, the target is slightly closer: 74% of the eligible population has been fully vaccinated.

Suburb of North Shore party focus of Covid testing drive

Testing in Auckland is now focused on areas with higher positivity rates and where the risk of unidentified cases is higher, said the Ministry of Health, singling out Redvale on the North Shore.

That’s the suburb where last weekend’s well-documented and alert level breaching party took place, although no cases have yet been linked to that. According the ministry, Redvale has a high positivity rate of more than 7%.

“We are asking Redvale residents with symptoms, no matter how mild, to get tested as soon as possible, even if they are vaccinated. We are also encouraging testing in New Lynn and the North Shore suburbs of Rosedale and Bayswater.”

Testing is available at:

Eventfinda Stadium, 17 Silverfield, Wairau Valley – open 8.30am to 4.30pm
North Harbour Stadium, Oteha Valley Road in Carpark B – open 8.30am – 4.30pm
Northcote Community Testing Centre, Corner of College Road and Kilham Avenue – open 6.30am – 6.30pm
Health New Lynn, Totara Health Services, McCrae Way, New Lynn – open 8.30am – 4.30pm

No Covid-19 detected after Waikato traveller visited Hawke’s Bay

No positive Covid-19 results have so far been detected in Hawke’s Bay after a man from Waikato visited the region and later tested positive.

Just the one location of interest – Kmart Napier – has so far been identified and anyone there between 3:53pm – 5:13 pm on Friday October 15 is asked to monitor their symptoms for 14 days and if any develop, get tested and stay at home until a negative test result is received and they have been symptom-free for 24 hours.

There have been no positive detections for Covid-19 in the most recent wastewater samples collected from Hastings , Napier, orWairoa (15 and 19 October). Further samples from these sites will be collected next week.

12.50pm: A message from The Spinoff publisher Duncan Greive:

There’s no 1pm press conference, just a press statement. So while we wait for that to arrive, here’s Duncan:

We’re rapidly approaching 10 weeks in lockdown here in Tāmaki Makaurau, and still unsure when a more recognisable form of living will resume. Which means that for the foreseeable future our staff will be working to bring you the latest from the delta outbreak – and to distract you from it – in a situation with a considerably reduced commercial foundation. This makes us more reliant on our Members than ever. To those who have contributed, a huge thank you from all of us.

To readers who enjoy our work and have yet to join The Spinoff Members, please consider doing so today if your circumstances allow it. Head here to donate, or to find out more.

12.40pm: Traffic light system a ‘Squid Game’ for Māori

Today’s announcement of a new traffic light system is akin to Netflix series “Squid Game”, said the Māori Party.

In the show, contestants are forced to engage in simple children’s games where the losers are executed.

“On every single Covid indicator, Māori are significantly behind every other ethnicity. On every single indicator, Māori are likely to take the biggest hits from a Delta outbreak; vaccinated or not” said the party’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

“The fact that the government has been absolutely resistant to setting Māori targets right from the outset is a problem. The fact they have ignored all Maori health expert advice right from the outset is a problem. The fact that they have ignored Iwi and Māori providers all along is a problem. The fact that they haven’t updated their Māori Covid response strategy in over a year is a problem. The fact that the government refuses to have a Māori vaccination target is a problem.”

Rawiri Waititi said it’s clear that when Jacinda Ardern said “no one will be left behind” what she really mean was Māori would be. “Let the Squid Games begin,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Greens also agree that losing our alert level framework is likely to put lives at risk. “The proposed vaccination targets are insufficient to protect the most vulnerable, and risk opening up before everyone is safe on an equal basis,” Green Party Covid response spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said.

11.35am: ‘Staggered, disgusted, heartbroken’: Collins responds to traffic light system

Judith Collins appeared on the verge of tears during a press conference held in response to the government’s new traffic light framework.

Speaking from parliament, the opposition leader’s voice broke as she rubbished the new proposal and said she was shocked the prime minister would even announce it. “Aucklanders in particular have been living in very severe restrictions and they have now been for 10 weeks. There is no hope for them out of this announcement. They are being held in this prison.”

The country was set to be “held to ransom” by DHBs that lagged behind on the vaccine rollout, she said. “The government is now pitting New Zealander against New Zealander.”

Collins said she was heartbroken for business owners who would have to shut up shop due to the new plan. “I speak for many… who have had enough,” she said. “Everything they have saved for, worked for – gone. It’s an utter disgrace. Am I disgusted by it? Yes I am.”

She added: “I am staggered at the incompetency. I am reiterating my call to the prime minister: go to Auckland. Listen to the heartbreak.”

We were now in a sprint to get vaccines in arms, said Collins, but it was clear we should have been at this point earlier. “Where was this sprint earlier this year when New Zealanders wanted to get vaccinated but couldn’t?” This was an indictment on the prime minister, Collins said.

“I don’t have any faith in the government. I just hope that the DHBs are more competent,” said Collins. The government had an inability to organise anything except a press conference, she added.

Collins did not mince her words about finance minister Grant Robertson either, saying she was appalled by his lack of care for businesses. “How can he threaten businesses like this when they have no certainty around this vaccine certification turning up on time? He needs to get off his high horse and listening and visiting people whose businesses are going down the tube. Why doesn’t he just do his job?”

11.05am: How will domestic travel work for Aucklanders?

Will Aucklanders be able to leave the city when it is in the traffic light framework and the rest of the country remains under alert level restrictions? Jacinda Ardern did not yet have an answer. But, she said the government was working on a system which would require vaccine certificates and a testing regime.

“It is a considerable logistic exercise … but we are determined to try and find a way,” she said.

New Zealand had never had hard land borders such as may now be required, she added.

11.00am: Is Auckland’s existing level 2.75 dead?

Currently, Aucklanders are sitting in a form of level three limbo. The first step of the previously announced three step exit plan now leads to the “red setting” of the new Covid-19 protection framework. But – does the new framework mean the second and third steps of the exit plan are now on ice? Nope.

“We have a collective goal now – but in the meantime, we will keep assessing the settings we have, and if it’s safe to do so, use the step downs we have already talked about,” said Jacinda Ardern during her speech.

Responding to a question on the subject, Ardern added: “Until Auckland moves we’ll keep using [the steps]. So we won’t have a situation where Auckland is just waiting for this framework.”

The next review of the current exit plan is due on Tuesday, after the long weekend.

10.50am: Is this the end of lockdowns? Not quite

Lockdowns will still be in the Covid-19 toolkit once the country shifts to the new traffic light framework, Jacinda Ardern announced.

At today’s marathon press conference, the prime minister said that while nationwide lockdowns were now off the table, smaller shutdowns were possible.

“Rather than use general nationwide lockdowns, if we have cases that start to climb and are in areas where we have lower vaccination rates for vulnerable communities, we can use more highly targeted and very localised lockdowns if we need to,” said Ardern.

Other existing Covid tools like testing, contact tracing and isolation will continue as well.

10.45am: New business support measures

Alongside the new “traffic lights” Covid framework, the government has announced a revised set of business support measures.

Top of the list is a doubling of the resurgence support payment, which is designed to help businesses cover wages and other expenses over the time their operations were diminished by Covid restrictions. From November 12 the RSP will be paid fortnightly, at a rate of $3,000 per business and $800 per full time employee and up to a maximum of $43,000 per business.

The wage subsidy will continue “through the transition period” to the traffic light system. The extension of the wage subsidy together with the boosted RSP is expected to cost close to a billion dollars every fortnight, which will come from the Covid response and recovery fund. Finance minister Grant Robertson acknowledged it would need topping up by “at least a couple of billion dollars for all the things we are announcing today”.

There is also a $60 million regional package and mental health support programme.

“The enhanced RSP will be available until Auckland moves into the new framework. The Wage Subsidy will continue to be available on the current criteria while areas of the country are still in Alert Level 3,” said Robertson.

Support will not on the whole be available under green or orange settings. The wage subsidy and RSP will be “reworked to a new targeted payment at the red level of the new framework,” he said.

10.40am: Income limits for hardship support temporarily lifted

The government has today announced new measures of assistance for low income workers.

Minister for social development Carmel Sepuloni said income limits for hardship support have been temporarily lifted. “Cabinet has agreed to make it easier for low income workers to receive assistance for items such as food and other emergency costs,” she said. “We know the extended Covid-19 restrictions are having an impact on low income households who tend to have less certainty of work.”

As it stands, a single person working 30 hours per week on the minimum wage is not eligible for hardship assistance from Work and Income. That limit will now be lifted to 40 hours at the minimum wage, or $800 per week and $1600 per week for a couple with or without children.

The change in eligibility criteria will come into force from November 1, and last for four months, until February 28, 2022.

“This is an investment of $9.6 million into low income workers,” said Sepuloni. “We expect there to be up to 25,000 more grants made by MSD to people not currently receiving help from MSD, for needs such as food, clothing and additional costs for electricity.”

10.30am: $120m announced to boost Māori vaccination rates

Today’s major Covid-19 announcement includes a $120 million boost to accelerate Māori vaccination rates.

The “Māori Communities Covid-19 Fund” will directly fund Māori, Iwi, community organisations and providers to deliver local vaccination initiatives for whānau, and support Māori and communities to prepare for the new protection framework.

The funding breaks down into two phases: $60 million will go towards accelerating Māori vaccination rates and a further $60 million will support Māori and iwi-led initiatives to protect their communities against Covid-19.

Phase one will begin next week and focus on areas where Māori vaccination rates are low: Counties Manukau, Lakes District, Taranaki and Tairawhiti, Northland and Bay of Plenty DHB areas. It will align with priority groups identified by the Ministry of Health, including rangatahi, tangata whaikaha, and whānau in remote communities.

Phase two funding will begin next month. Examples of activities that might be funded include support for testing and other public health measures under the new framework, community outreach and mobilisation of resources to support rapid responses to any outbreak or support for diagnosis and home-isolation.

Associate health minister Peeni Henare said Māori are still lagging behind most New Zealanders, particularly in the younger age groups. “We need to pull out all the stops to ensure whānau are protected when the new protection framework is put in place. We know the recent lift in vaccination rates is the direct result of funding Māori providers and of Māori leadership efforts at a regional and national level,” he said.

10.00am: Auckland to remain in alert level three until city hits 90% double vaccinated

UPDATED

Auckland will move to a less restrictive Covid-19 framework once the city gets to 90% fully vaccinated for the eligible population.

The prime minister this morning unveiled the new “traffic light” framework that will, eventually, replace our existing alert levels. As teased, that new framework involves three parts – green, orange and red.

“Auckland will move into red as soon as all three DHBs hit the 90% vaccination target,” said Jacinda Ardern.

A target of 90% fully vaccinated across each DHB region has been set as the milestone to trigger moving the country into the new system, with the country expected to move straight to orange. But, Auckland will be able to move earlier into the red setting. “This target ensures good regional spread across the country and will also help address equity issues within each region,” said Ardern.

The new traffic light framework will allow businesses previously considered high-risk to fully open to vaccinated customers at green and orange and continue to operate with some restrictions at red. Businesses that choose to open to the unvaccinated will face restrictions in order to suppress the virus amongst those most likely to have it.

“Fully vaccinated people will be able to reconnect with family and friends, go to bars and restaurants and do the things they love with greater certainty and confidence. The framework also provides businesses greater certainty to plan and grow,” Ardern said. “We need to give everyone, and especially Aucklanders, certainty about when it will be safe to move to a new system, where there are more freedoms for those who are vaccinated”.

The new requirements were a strong incentive for those who still haven’t had their first dose to do so quickly, said Ardern. “The choice is clear for anyone who wants to go to a bar, restaurant, gym or to attend gatherings.”

Ardern promised that Aucklanders will be reunited with friends and family outside the city by Christmas.

The framework maintains the ability to move up levels when needed to control an outbreak, but is more flexible than the current alert level system.

Cabinet will review the progress that Auckland, and the rest of the country, has made on November 29 to see if anything needs to change. “We are open to moving the South Island before the rest of the country, if all the DHBs in the south hit their targets before others,” she said.

Today’s announcement was addressed to “all New Zealanders”, said Ardern. “Our plan of elimination kept us free from Covid for much of the past 18 months,” she said. “Our economy held up well and unemployment stayed low. We can rightfully be proud of what our world-leading response has achieved.”

Delta’s “tentacles” have made it hard to maintain elimination, Ardern said. The vaccination, however, came along at the same time as delta began to become unmanageable.

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9.45am: Watch – PM set to reveal new ‘traffic light’ system, vaccination target

It’s arguably the most important day in our Covid response since Jacinda Ardern’s address to the nation in March 2020 when she unveiled our now well-used alert level system.

At 10am, the prime minister is expected to launch a “traffic light” framework that will form the next part of our Covid-19 response once vaccination rates hit a target. We’re also expecting a business announcement from Grant Robertson and a Māori health announcement from Peeni Henare.

Follow along with the press conference below, or keep this page update for live coverage from myself and The Spinoff team. We’ll also have a full explainer available once we know what it is we’re explaining.

9.25am: Auckland women who caused Northland lockdown denies wrongdoing

One of the women whose journey into Northland plunged the region into alert level three has denied any wrongdoing.

Health officials said the woman used a false exemption to travel north, subsequently testing positive for Covid-19 and then avoiding authorities.

Instead, she told the Herald she was in daily contact with a public health nurse and was not hiding from authorities. “I felt it made sense to self-isolate,” she said. “I wasn’t hiding, I fully informed them where I was.”

She said there were only locations they visited in Northland and denied misleading health officials. “There were only five places: the motel, the dairy beside the motel, the gas station to get food, the gas station to get petrol and the public toilet,” she said.

And the rumours of gang links or that the pair were sex workers? “Funny.”

“It’s not true, we have no link to gangs and I’d quite like to know where that information came from,” she said.

The woman admitted her friend may have been less cooperative as she felt she was in trouble.

8.55am: Brian Tamaki making money off Covid vaccination, testing centre

Anti-lockdown protestor Brian Tamaki is earning money from a Covid-19 testing and vaccination centre.

The Destiny Church leader has been threatened with prison time over his involvement in two mass gatherings during Auckland’s alert level three.

His wife, Hannah Tamaki, told Newstalk ZB this morning that the couple are leasing buildings the owned by the church to a medical clinic giving out vaccinations and using a car park to do Covid tests. “They asked us at the beginning of the Covid and back in February whether they could actually lease because they wanted to set up a testing station in South Auckland,” said Tamaki.

“We lease it out to a school, to an early childhood centre and a gym. Now if the medical centre is part of our lease, who are we as the lessee to actually decline them the right to run, what they’ve been asked to run.”

Tamaki said the couple were anti-lockdown, not anti-test or anti-vax – however she would not disclose whether her or Brian had been vaccinated.

8.00am: PM poised to launch alert level replacement

Jacinda Ardern will today reveal the future of New Zealand’s Covid-19 response, unveiling a replacement framework for the alert levels that have served us since March last year.

Dubbed the “traffic light system”, it’s expected to have three tiers and be introduced at a point in the near future when vaccination rates are high enough. Yes, vaccination targets are finally on the way.

Justin Giovannetti, writing for this morning’s Bulletin, has 12 questions he hopes are answered once the new system is announced – a sort of “traffic light announcement bingo” if you will. Those include whether there will be a separate vaccination rate for Māori, with numbers currently lagging well behind the median. Will restrictions be regionalised? Does it depend on a vaccination passport being available?

Meanwhile, Stuff’s Luke Malpass deemed today “the biggest day for the government since the first day of the first lockdown”. Like on Justin’s bingo card, Malpass wants to know whether separate vaccination rates will be introduced. “The government has been under significant pressure to ensure that the Māori vaccination rate in particular – as well as rates in other specific communities – also hit a high level before restrictions are eased,” he said.

One element expected to be missing from today’s announcement is some form of “freedom day” – a set date for reopening. The National Party this week suggested December 1, with an earlier reopening triggered if vaccinations hit a target. The Herald’s Derek Cheng said the government will likely find that “too risky”, especially with daily case numbers now hitting triple digits. Cheng also questions whether regions could launch the traffic light system at different times, proposing the highly vaccinated Dunedin as a frontrunner.

Jacinda Ardern – joined by Grant Robertson, Chris Hipkins and Peeni Henare – will officially make their announcement at 10am. We’ll have a livestream and full coverage for you.

Yesterday’s headlines

There are 102 new community cases of Covid-19
Of these, 40 remain unlinked and there are now 199 mystery cases.
Eight of the cases are in Te Awamutu, with one unlinked.
46 people are now in hospital with Covid-19. Seven are in ICU.
There were 43,087 vaccine doses administered and 26,669 tests conducted on Wednesday.
Parts of Waikato will remain at alert level three until Wednesday, 11.59pm.

Keep going!

PoliticsOctober 21, 2021

Live updates, October 21: Parts of Waikato to remain in level three until Wednesday; anti-vaxxers making bogus bookings

Stewart Sowman-Lund

The Bulletin editor

Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 21, by Stewart Sowman-Lund. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz. Help support our Covid coverage – join Members today.

Today’s key headlines

There are 102 new community cases of Covid-19
That’s the highest number of daily cases from across both years of the pandemic.
Of these, 40 remain unlinked and there are now 199 mystery cases.
Eight of today’s cases are in Te Awamutu, with one unlinked.
Another grim record with 46 people now in hospital with Covid-19. Seven are in ICU.
There were 43,087 vaccine doses administered yesterday and 26,669 tests conducted.
Parts of Waikato will remain at alert level three until Wednesday, 11.59pm.

7.35pm: Parts of Waikato to stay at alert level three for next six days

The parts of Waikato that have been in alert level three will remain at that alert level till Wednesday, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today via a press statement.

“Based on the latest public health information, maintaining level three in those parts of the Waikato continues to be the most prudent course of action,” Hipkins said.

Alert level three will continue till 11.59pm on Wednesday, October 27 and will be reviewed on that day.

“I know this will be frustrating for people in these areas. It’s clear that people in the region as a whole have been following the rules, but the eight new cases today, all in the Te Awamutu area, show how stubborn delta can be,” he said.

“Seven of these cases are linked to known cases, and the other is still being investigated. This follows four cases reported yesterday and seven on Tuesday. While most of these have been household contacts or people linked to known cases, there is a risk the virus will spread further, which means we are taking a cautious approach.

The alert level decision comes days before a long weekend, and residents in those parts of Waikato are being urged to stay home in their bubbles.

“People in the Te Awamutu should get tested if they or anyone in their household has symptoms, or if they have travelled out of Te Awamutu over the past week for work or other activities, regardless of whether they have symptoms.”

7.25pm: Location of interest in Hawke’s Bay

The Ministry of Health has updated its list of locations of interest, including Kmart in Napier. With more than 100 new cases announced today, the days of individual itineraries for positive cases being read out at press briefings are long over. But it is understood the person travelled from Waikato and tested positive on their return. Two of the person’s close contacts in Hawke’s Bay returned negative tests on day six (results came back this afternoon).

For the full list of locations of interest, see here.

5.20pm: Anti-vaxxers sabotaging vaccination effort with bogus bookings – report

A rush of false bookings have been made in recent days in Tairāwhiti, suggesting anti-vaxxers are targeting low-vaccination areas to sabotage the roll-out, Royal NZ College of General Practitioners president Sam Murton has told RNZ. One small vaccination centre is said to have had 90 fake bookings across a couple of days.

“To the people who are trying to book in it just looks like, ‘oh this is hopeless’. And how many times do you try when the bookings are full up all the time?” she told RNZ. “That’s really devastating in areas where there are vulnerable people, and where there is a whole lot of effort put in to try to get people to get vaccinated.

The Ministry of Health said fake bookings “were extremely irresponsible and disappointing”, but also “relatively rare”.

4.05pm: Traffic lights tomorrow. What to expect?

Toby Manhire writes:

At 10am tomorrow, Jacinda Ardern, together with a trio of ministers (Hipkins, Henare and Robertson) will announce what they’ve teased as a new “Covid-19 Protection Framework”. According to people consulted in the preparation, that framework, like New Zealand’s greatest mocktail, takes its inspiration from a traffic light.

It has nothing to do with the traffic light system cabinet agreed to implement for trans-tasman travel, but which never saw the light of day. This one is designed, at some to-be-determined point in the future, to replace the alert level system and move beyond lockdowns. Given the alert level system was in part based on the Singaporean Dorscon (Disease Outbreak Response System Condition) system, are there any international precedents for the red/orange/green option? (Or red/amber/green, whatever you prefer.)

Boris Johnson was widely reported to be on the verge of a traffic light option ahead of last winter. The Covid-19 Winter Plan for England ended up having three tiers, without trafficky illumination.

Some of those tier rules:

(The Brits more recently had a traffic light system for incoming visitors. That’s been ditched now.)

Elsewhere, Mexico has embraced the traffic light approach since the middle of last year. I am not an expert on traffic controls in Mexico, but I did notice with interest that they have four lights. This one is designed, however, very much with the Covid risk across regions of the country in mind, and vaccination rates are part of the mix.

3.50pm: More charges over Auckland anti-lockdown protest

Police have charged two more organisers of recent anti-lockdown protests in Auckland.

A 44-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man will appear in the Auckland District Court next month. They will be appearing on charges relating to organising and attending mass gatherings held on October 2 and 16, in breach of alert level three restrictions.

Enquiries are ongoing and police will not out further enforcement action being taken in this matter.

Yesterday, destiny church leader Brian Tamaki was charged for his involvement in the October 16 and for a breach of bail relating to a charge relating to the October 2 protest.

3.35pm: Māori Party call for government to hand over vaccine rollout

The Māori Party want government to step aside and hand over the reins of the vaccine rollout directly to Māori. They’ve called for Māori health providers to be given the funding, data and decision-making authority to lead the remainder of the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

“Our message to the government is very clear – step aside and let Māori lead. The survival of our people depends on it,” said co-leader Rawiri Waititi. “Government outreach to our people isn’t working, and is actually making it harder. They must hand over all necessary resources, data and power to tangata whenua, and then step aside and let our people lead.”

It’s a “disgrace”, Waititi said, that vaccination data hasn’t yet been given to Māori providers and that Whānau Ora have had to take legal action to try and access it.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said DHBs were undermining the Māori response. “What we are seeing is the direct impact of prime minister Jacinda Ardern and her government continually ignoring the advice of our Māori health experts since the first outbreak last year,” she said.

3.10pm: Light rail, new Mount Vic tunnel, proposed for Wellington

Light rail from Wellington railway station, along with a second Mount Victoria tunnel, are the centrepieces of a series of proposed transport plans for the capital.

The Herald has been leaked details of the long-awaited Let’s Get Wellington Moving project. According to the report, four proposals will be put up for public consultation.

The first includes light rail out to Island Bay, along with a priority bus route to the airport and eastern suburbs, and a new Mt Vic tunnel – with dedicated lanes for cars and buses – running diagonally from the Basin Reserve.

Other proposals include converting the existing Mt Vic tunnel into a walking and cycling connection, introducing rapid transit instead of light rail, and grade separation around the Basin so traffic going in different directions can move more freely.

The finalised proposals are expected to be released early next month.

We’re hiring: Māori politics reporter and Pacific communities editor

The Spinoff is currently accepting applications for two new editorial positions, both of which signal our ongoing commitment to publishing journalism that reflects the many voices of Aotearoa. Both new roles – a Māori politics reporter and a Pacific communities editor – have been made possible by NZ On Air’s Public Interest Journalism Fund.

Click here to find out more about the roles and how to apply.

2.40pm: Auckland Santa parade cancelled over Covid uncertainty

Auckland’s iconic Santa parade has been cancelled for the first time in decades, owing to the ongoing Covid situation.

Parade chair and Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Michael Barnett said it was disappointing the parade had become a “victim of the virus” but pledged it would be back “bigger, better, and Covid free” in 2022.

“Santa is so sorry, but he too has to follow Covid restrictions,” said Barnett. “His busy schedule getting everything ready for his deliveries on Christmas Eve and delays in shipping meant he couldn’t book his slot in quarantine earlier even as an essential worker.”

2.20pm: The key numbers, charted

A pair of fairly unpleasant milestones in our Covid response today, with new records for daily case numbers and Covid-related hospitalisations.

Here are a few of the key numbers from today’s 1pm update from our Covid Tracker page.

1.45pm: Source of the delta outbreak still unknown

More than two months on from the first community case of delta appearing in Auckland, health officials have given up on the search for the source.

Ashley Bloomfield said that the “trail went cold” after officials determined what MIQ hotel the virus escaped from and what day this happened. He said it was never determined how delta made it out of Auckland’s Crowne Plaza in August.

1.40pm: Update on Waikato lockdown due today

An update on whether parts of Waikato will remain in lockdown is anticipated this evening, deputy PM Grant Robertson said.

A group of cabinet ministers will consider health advice this afternoon and an update is expected via written statement later today.

The lockdown in the region is currently due to expire tomorrow night and Jacinda Ardern previously signalled the decision on whether it would be extended would come tomorrow as well.

Eight new Waikato cases of delta were confirmed today, all in Te Awamutu. Over the past week or so, roughly five mystery cases have cropped up in the region along with a handful of positive household contacts.

1.25pm: Physio, osteo and more to resume under level three

Physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths are among those now able to resume work under alert level three restrictions.

The Ministry of Health has updated its guidance for Allied Health professionals working in settings outside DHBs, clarifying they can all provide services under level three. There are more than 43 different Allied Health professions overall.

“The ministry has worked with the sector on maintaining a balance between protecting patients and maintaining their general wellbeing,” said a statement. “The change will enable roughly 2000 allied health professionals in Auckland alone to continue to see patients, ensuring more people are treated in the community, and preventing some trips to primary care or hospital settings.”

Providers must still screen patients, and practice all Covid-19 measures such as appropriate distancing, strict use of infection, prevention and control measures, PPE use and scanning in. Providers should also continue to offer telehealth services if this is an appropriate alternative.

1.05pm: Covid cases hit triple digits with 102 confirmed

Updated

For the first time, the number of new daily cases has hit three figures. There are 102 new community cases – 94 in Auckland and eight in Waikato. That’s the highest number of new cases recorded on our shores across the entire Covid-19 pandemic, topping the 94 announced earlier this week.

Of these, 40 remain unlinked with investigations continuing to help determine their connection to the outbreak. “The sharp rise in case numbers is a reminder of the infectiousness of Covid-19, and particularly the Delta variant, and the importance of vaccination as the best protection,” said the Ministry of Health.

Te Awamutu focus of Waikato outbreak

All of today’s Waikato cases are in the Te Awamutu area, said Ashley Bloomfield. So far, seven have already been linked to known cases, and public health officials plan to speak with the remaining case today. The ministry has not clarified whether the previously announced mystery cases in Waikato have yet been linked to the outbreak.

One of the Waikato cases undertook permitted travel to Hawke’s Bay last Friday prior to becoming confirmed case, said Bloomfield. The case returned to Te Awamutu before testing positive. Both contacts have been tested and have returned negative day six results.

Twenty of yesterday’s cases remain unlinked and there are now 199 mystery cases from the past 14 days.

Highest number of people in hospital with Covid-19

There are now 46 people in hospital with Covid-19, the highest number to date. There are seven in intensive care. Fully immunised cases make up just 4.5% of the total number, with 1.6% of hospitalised cases double jabbed.

Speaking at today’s press conference, deputy prime minister Grant Robertson acknowledged the fluctuation in cases was an “emotional rollercoaster” but said it had been anticipated. “The bottom line here though is that the vaccination is the key to keeping you and your community safe,” he said. “We are in a strong position but we do need to build on that and see more people vaccinated.”

Robertson called the hospitalisation rate more critical than the daily case numbers at this point in the outbreak. The issue is “making sure the health system can cope,” he said.

The latest vaccine and testing numbers

And on the vaccine front: there were 43,087 doses administered yesterday, comprising roughly 10,000 first doses and 32,000 second doses.

There were 26,669 tests conducted yesterday across the country, including more than 12,700 in Auckland and 3160 in Waikato.

1.00pm: Watch – Robertson and Bloomfield to give Covid update

We’re due to hear the latest Covid-19 case numbers as Grant Robertson and Ashley Bloomfield front today’s press conference. Today’s presser is the last briefing before the launch of the new traffic light system tomorrow, so expect to see some teasers of what we might expect.

Tune in below or follow along with our live coverage.

12.55pm: A message from The Spinoff publisher Duncan Greive:

To readers who enjoy our work and have yet to join The Spinoff Members, please consider doing so today if your circumstances allow it. Head here to donate, or to find out more.

12.35pm: Keep calm and watch this wholesome Vaxathon supercut

Missed Saturday’s eight-hour Vaxathon but want to see the highlights? We’ve got you covered.

11.50am: Household spending tops incomes

Household spending is well above incomes, new stats reveal.

The June 2021 quarter recorded a negative saving of $225 million.

“After high levels of saving through 2020, impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, households have spent more than they have earned during the first half of 2021,” said Paul Pascoe from Stats NZ.

11.20am: Opposition welcome new UK free trade deal

The National Party has welcomed this morning’s announcement of a new free trade deal with the UK, calling the immediate elimination of almost all tariffs “unprecedented”.

“We want to see New Zealand do well in the world and trade is our best opportunity to do that,” said the party’s trade spokesperson Nicola Grigg. “The National Party congratulates trade minister Damien O’Connor, his predecessors, and the many officials and industry participants who have worked so hard to bring this agreement to a conclusion.”

The Act Party was similarly pleased with the announcement. Brooke van Velden, the party’s deputy leader and trade spokesperson, called it “fantastic” news. “The access is comparable to that of Australia, so it meets the first test. The second test will be ensuring the provisions come true over the coming years, and the trend is towards further liberalisation,” she said.

11.05am: Guac, don’t run, to this Hastings supermarket

I assumed camera trickery was at play when I first saw this photo – but avocados really are just nine cents each at Pak ‘n Save Hastings.

A Spinoff reader sent in this photo of an overloaded stand of hass avocados, on sale at what must surely be a record price for just one day.

Get smashing, Hastings (Image / Supplied)

The Hastings supermarket might seem familiar – it’s the same Pak ‘n Save that was selling tomatoes for nine cents a kilogram earlier this year.

How much is a house in Hastings?

10.30am: NZ-UK free trade deal agreed

A free trade agreement between New Zealand and the UK has just been announced, with Jacinda Ardern hailing “a substantial and historic” deal, one which trade minister Damien O’Connor said had been achieved despite “some wariness and a little paranoia from farmers over there”. Our political editor Justin Giovannetti was at the announcement. Read his report here. The major points in the agreement, expected to be finalised and signed in the early part of next year:

NZ will drop tariffs on all UK goods the day the deal is signed.
That should mean cheaper British clothes, gin and cars.
The UK will drop restrictions on NZ beef and lamb over the coming 15 years.
Tariffs on NZ wine and honey will be removed when the deal is signed.
NZ’s copyright laws will be extended by 20 years.
Both countries will start talks to increase the length of working holiday visas.

10.00am: Watch – Dame Cindy Kiro sworn in as governor general

Cindy Kiro will officially be sworn in as governor general at a ceremony at parliament this morning. You can watch a livestream of the proceedings below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4aYIPLNaKE

9.30am: Auckland Hotel latest to introduce vaccine mandate

An inner-city Auckland hotel will only allow fully vaccinated guests from next month, despite no mandate for hospitality being announced.

According to RNZ, the Hotel Britomart and its restaurant Kingi will introduce their own vaccine requirement in order to keep staff and guests safe. “We’re mandating that all our suppliers and contractors and visitors whether they be guests or restaurant patrons also are double dosed and able to provide evidence of that before setting foot on our property,” said general manager Clinton Farley.

Further government-ordered mandates are expected to be announced in the coming weeks but so far just school teachers, the health sector and prison staff have been ordered to get the jab.

8.45am: Crew asked to isolate onboard despite 18-day voyage

The New Zealand crew of a boat off the coast of Taranaki will have to isolate onboard for a fortnight – despite being at sea for 18 days.

The MMA Vision has been undertaking survey work of the sea floor for the new Southern Cross cable.

All 18 crew members tested negative for Covid-19 before boarding in Auckland. However, on the return trip to New Plymouth, the vessel has been advised that they must complete a 14 day isolation period because the boat left the “economic exclusion zone”. The crew have not left the vessel for the entire 18 day period.

According to the NZ Seafarers group, the New Plymouth DHB agreed that an exemption should be granted for the crew however The Ministry of Health declined the application citing safety concerns. “The government did not cite any safety concerns when 23 crew from the Interislander ferry Aratere were granted a full exemption from MIQ after being in dry-dock in Sydney this month, allowing the entire crew to walk off the vessel straight into Wellington after a 12 day trip,” said an NZ Seafarers spokesperson.

“For the 18 crew onboard the MMA Vision it seems there is one rule for private companies, and another for government owned companies.”

The spokesperson said it was “absurd” that crossing an “imaginary line” was all that prevented the crew from being able to return to the mainland.

8.05am: Andrew Little defends hospital capacity – again

The health minister has once again defended the capacity of our ICU system to cope with a rise in Covid-19 cases, despite concerns from workers.

Middlemore Hospital is predicting 20 Covid cases a day in its emergency room by next month and nurses say they are already stressed.

“I understand there’s a sense of anxiety around the nursing workforce – those in ED – because we’re at that point where things are starting to change,” Andrew Little told RNZ. “The whole way that this government has managed the response to Covid, right back to last year, one of the critical issues we’ve had in our mind is the impact on the health system, and making sure that the decisions we take in what we do minimises that impact so that we don’t see overwhelmed hospitals.”

Little said the government was aware that health workers were stressed and was trying to address that. “The surge capacity is available. We’ve trained nearly 1400 nurses to work in an ICU environment.”

Last week, Little said the country’s hospitals can surge up to 550 ICU beds in the coming weeks if needed as the delta outbreak worsens. The group representing those who actually staff the beds said it was more like 186. Little said he gets a daily update on hospitals and was keeping a very close eye on number.

“Some of the modelling is some of the worst case scenario modelling but at the moment the hospitalisation rate is roughly 5%,” he said.

More health workers will arrive from overseas in about a month, said Little, with a special allocation of MIQ rooms set aside to help this happen. More than 120 nurses have already been brought to Auckland from other parts of the country since the start of this outbreak.

On the return of senior students to school next week, Little said the age group returning were able to be vaccinated and most were already jabbed. Other measures were also being taken at schools to stop Covid spread and prevent hospitalisations, he claimed.

7.45am: Yesterday’s headlines

There are 60 new delta cases in the community, with 22 unlinked to the outbreak.
Four of today’s cases are in Waikato, including two mystery cases in Te Awamutu.
There are now 166 mystery cases from the past fortnight.
Senior students in level three will be able to return to school from next Tuesday, October 26.
NCEA and scholarship exams will go ahead, even in level three areas.

7.30am: From The Bulletin

National proposes a Covid economic plan and hard reopening date. The opposition is calling for tax cuts for small businesses, a bigger wage subsidy and $100 vouchers for the fully vaccinated, according to Stuff. It’s largely a collection of policies seen overseas. While the economic message might speak to National’s base, the party’s reopening plan has attracted more attention. The South Island would immediately return to level one and lockdowns would end when either 85-90% of the population was vaccinated or December 1, whichever comes first. Reopening in six weeks would be disastrous and isn’t based on science, Newsroom has concluded.

The Covid numbers: There are 43 cases in hospital and 5 in ICU/HDU. There are now 769 active cases in New Zealand. 56 new community cases were reported in Auckland yesterday and 4 in Waikato. 42,809 people were vaccinated on Tuesday.

The Spinoff’s Covid data tracker has the latest figures.

The chief Ombudsman is investigating the MIQ booking system. There have been hundreds of complaints to the chief Ombudsman that the managed-isolation booking system is unfair, unlawful and broken, so Peter Boshier is going to investigate, One News reports. Tens of thousands of people have entered weekly lotteries without luck to return home. The government responded in a statement that the system is working as designed.

However, according to the Dominion Post, members of the country’s diplomatic corp have been sending hundreds of frantic messages trying to get into MIQ. At least 14 diplomats are now overseas at the end of their postings unable to come home.

A challenge to the grocery duopoly. Consumer NZ and the NZ Food and Grocery Council don’t really get on, but the two have formed an alliance as the Commerce Commission is investigating what to do about the grocery market. As One News reports, the two say it’s time to do something about the massive amount of power wielded by the two companies that dominate groceries because prices are far too high.

In a sign of that power, New World and Pak’nSave are set to remove most of Sealord’s range of frozen products. According to Newsroom, the company’s market share could collapse from 80% to 20% with the decision. Foodstuffs, which owns both brands, said it would bring in imported fish in a move that will increase profits.

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