After guiding New Zealand through two and a half years of a pandemic, Dr Ashley Bloomfield’s time as Director-General of Health has come to an end.

We look back on some of the key moments during his time in the role:

22 May 2018
Dr Ashley Bloomfield was named as the new Director-General of Health while he was serving as the acting chief executive of Capital and Coast District Health Board.

2019
The health system faced some big challenges in 2019. Dr Bloomfield fronted health responses to both a measles outbreak and the Whakaari/White Island disaster.

27 January 2020
“Kia ora koutou katoa, welcome to the Ministry of Health, thank you very much attending this briefing this afternoon. My name is Dr Ashley Bloomfield, I’m the Director-General of Health.”

After two and a half years of a pandemic, it is probably hard to remember a time when Dr Ashley Bloomfield needed to introduce himself.

Before New Zealand had its first case of covid-19, back when it was referred to simply as a coronavirus (WHO would name it covid-19 on 12 February 2020), Dr Ashley Bloomfield and Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay held a media stand-up.

Like most of the early briefings, it was held at the Ministry of Health.

It was two weeks after the first confirmed case outside of China had been identified and across the ditch, Australia had four cases. There had been 56 deaths worldwide.

28 February 2020
Almost exactly one month later, New Zealand’s first covid-19 case was confirmed in someone that had returned from overseas.

Reminiscent of a format we would come to know more intimately as time went on, the evening news would cut to a live press conference where Dr Bloomfield and then-Health Minister David Clark would provide more details of New Zealand’s first case. (Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was in Australia at the time.)

The following day, supermarkets would see a rush of customers buying up toilet paper, hand sanitiser and tinned food.

March 2020
We would start to hear a lot more from Dr Bloomfield as the second, third and fourth (who had been at a Tool concert) cases of covid-19 were confirmed in early March.

By the end of the month New Zealand would be in lockdown and Dr Bloomfield had become a daily part of our lives.

“It did feel a little bit like I was having a performance review at one o’clock every day, broadcast live on television. But that’s as it should be — your job is to ensure that we’re being held accountable for our response,” he said.

Daily cases had jumped to numbers in the eighties and the briefings had shifted to the Beehive, against a backdrop of yellow and white striped Unite Against Covid-19 branding.

On 29 March, during the 1pm briefing, Bloomfield would announce New Zealand’s first covid-19 death.

4 May 2020
“No new cases”. For the first time since New Zealand went into level 4 lockdown on 25 March, Dr Bloomfield announced there were no new cases of covid-19. It would be a phrase we would hear more of as the first community outbreak would start to slow.

And it evoked such emotion that “There are no new cases of covid-19 to report in New Zealand today” came second place in Massey University’s Quote of the Year.

August 2020
In an effort to encourage people to test for covid-19, Dr Bloomfield had his first covid-19 PCR test while filmed at a community testing site.

“It was much less painful than tackling Billy Weepu on the rugby field a couple of weeks ago.”

*Raises eyebrows
With millions of people stuck at home in isolation watching daily media briefings, it was no surprise that Dr Bloomfield would find himself in meme-territory.

This was Dr Bloomfield’s response when he was asked about 5G in 2020:

And a year later when Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said people should go outside and “spread your legs”.

The Guardian on the Hipkins quote.

Festival debut
Who would have thought Dr Bloomfield would grace the main stage at Rhythm and Vines festival?

December 2020
Dr Bloomfield was awarded the New Zealand Medical Association’s highest accolade — The Chair’s Award

17 August 2021
The prime minister announced another nationwide lockdown after a case, assumed to be the delta variant, was detected. That meant the 1pm briefings, and daily doses of Dr Bloomfield, were back too.

22 September 2021
As New Zealand tackled the delta outbreak, Dr Bloomfield broke the news that we may never get to zero cases of covid-19.

A portrait pie of Dr. Ashley Bloomfield. Photo: Supplied / Devoney Scarfe

October 2021
During Super Saturday, Dr Bloomfield was caught on camera busting a move at one of the community events.

Dr Ashley Bloomfield’s dance moves.

6 April 2022
Announced he was stepping down.

“It seems we’re at a good point in terms of the pandemic, the response is shifting, I’m also confident that the system is in good hands with the changes that are afoot, and most certainly my family will be very pleased to have a little more of my time,” he said.

May 2022
Dr Bloomfield tested positive for covid-19 while he was at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

Professional history

• In May 2018, Dr Bloomfield was appointed the new Director-General of Health.
• Dr Bloomfield was the acting Chief Executive for Capital & Coast District Health Board from 1 January 2018.
• From 2015-2017, he was chief executive of the Hutt Valley District Health Board – the first clinician to lead the Hutt Valley District Health Board.
• In 2017 Dr Bloomfield attended the Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme.
• Prior to becoming chief executive at the Hutt Valley DHB, Dr Bloomfield held a number of senior leadership roles within the Ministry of Health, including, in 2012, acting Deputy Director-General, sector capability and implementation.
• From 2012-15 he was Director of Service, Integration and Development and General Manager Population Health at Capital & Coast, Hutt and Wairarapa District Health Boards.
• From 1999-2008 he was a Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine. Since 2008 he has been a Fellow of the NZ College of Public Health Medicine.
• In 2010-2011 he was Partnerships Adviser, Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health at the World Health Organisation, Geneva.
• Dr Bloomfield obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Auckland in 1990.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Tairāwhiti tā moko artists Maia Gibbs and Henare Brooking designed the jersey the Warriors wore in their Indigenous Round National Rugby League match against Newcastle Knights last Saturday.

The jersey, called Te Amokura, is a powerful expression of connection, unity and identity developed in partnership with Puma and Gisborne’s Toi Ake Maori art gallery.

Maia Gibbs (Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Kahungungu) and Henare Brooking (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) run the gallery located in Ballance Street Village.

It was set up about two years ago following the first covid-19 lockdown.

Gibbs said the jersey needed to “encompass what the club and team represent”.

“We are the paintbrushes and pencils that put it together but the players are the ones that live their lives under a microscope. This is about them and what they want to represent.

“It’s pretty cool to see our tohu holding its own,” he said.

Powerful expression
“I’m humbled to have had the opportunity to work on this project and see it come to life — even more so to do it along side taku tuakana Henare Brooking.

“To have the support of our iwi, hapū and whānau throughout is really special and we thank you all,” he said.

Te Amokura is a powerful expression of the Warriors’ connection, unity and identity. It takes its inspiration from the manu (bird) of the same name, known across the Pacific, Australia and Aotearoa.

The amokura helped the great navigators of the Pacific chart the largest body of water in the world.

It is known for its two distinct red elongated tail feathers which were highly prized by foremost warriors and chiefs throughout Te moana nui a Kiwa.

These are represented by two red strips on the back of the jersey.

The colours represent significant elements of the club’s identity but also the journey over the last three seasons, and the sacrifices made by players and staff to base themselves away from home, their families and their fans.

The collective whakapapa
Blue represents mana moana — the ocean — that connects Aotearoa, Australia and the Pacific, carrying the collective whakapapa.

Green represents mana whenua — the land — Aotearoa acknowledging the Warriors’ true home and importantly Australia’s mana whenua, the Aboriginal whanaunga and the original people of Australia who hosted the team over the last three seasons.

Red represents mana tāngata — the people — connecting players past, present and future, and interweaving the whakapapa of each individual as they move into the field of battle.

The black represents Te Pō — a place of development and learning — while the white is Te Ao — a place of expression and action.

The jersey is like a korowai (cloak) that adorns the wearer, not just as a jersey but as a representation of their own journey.

It is a celebration of the Warriors’ cultural identity and a representation of the connection they share as indigenous people across the world.

This year’s NRL Indigenous Round focused on creating a space for learning and educating Australians about Indigenous culture as well as encouraging the rugby league community to take three key actions to be part of the change — learn the land; learn the history; support an Indigenous business.

Note: Te Amokura is also the Te Reo Māori name of the Pacific Media Centre, which launched this website Asia Pacific Report in 2016. Asia Pacific Report is now published independently in association with Evening Report and Pacific Journalism Review.

Republished with permission by The Gisborne Herald and NZ On Air.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Aucklanders are travelling out of New Zealand’s largest city today as the border around Tāmaki Makaurau opens for the first time in 120 days.

Police said traffic was flowing freely early this morning.

Waka Kotahi and the police removed checkpoints to the north and south of the region since the midnight change in restrictions.

Spot checks are happening on roads out of the city, at the airport, and at two new checkpoints in Northland.

The new checkpoints were set at Uretiti on SH1 and on SH12 at Maungaturoto, for northbound traffic only.

Anyone can leave Auckland with proof they are double vaccinated or have recently tested negative for covid-19.

Transport operators will also be checking on passengers’ status.

Even with border restrictions in place, more than 2 million cars have passed through the northern and southern boundaries since the end of August, mostly carrying essential workers.

News reports said that 12,000 people were booked on Air New Zealand flights out of the city today.

80 new community cases
The Ministry of Health reported 80 new community cases of covid-19 yesterday with two new cases identified at the border.

In a statement, the ministry also reported that several members of a flight crew had been identified as close contacts of a omicron variant case in Australia.

“These crew members arrived in New Zealand last night and are in a MIQ facility, as per standard international air crew arrival procedure,” the statement said.

Of the new community cases today, 51 are in Auckland, 21 in Waikato, seven in Bay of Plenty and one in the Taupō district.

The ministry also announced an additional case in Canterbury today, which will be officially counted in today’s case numbers.

There are now 9890 community cases in the current outbreak. The number of active cases is 6863.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

New Zealand’s Ministry of Health has reported 139 new community cases of covid-19 today, with 64 people now in hospital with the coronavirus.

In a statement, the ministry said two of the new cases were in Waikato and one was in Northland, with the remaining cases were all in Auckland.

The Northland case — which takes the total number of cases in the region to 15 – is a close contact of the two previously reported Taipa cases and has been isolating at home.

The two new cases confirmed in the Waikato overnight are both from Hamilton, and are known contacts of previous cases.

The ministry said 72 of today’s cases were still to be linked. There have been 452 unlinked cases in the past 14 days.

There were also three new cases reported at the border.

Five of the 64 cases in hospital are in intensive care.

Self-isolating person dies
ast night the ministry announced the death of a person who had covid-19 and was isolating at home in Auckland.

The person tested positive for covid-19 on October 24 and had been self-isolating in Manukau.

The ministry said the cause of death was unknown and the coroner would determine whether it was due to the virus or something else.

It said today it was aware of speculation that the death was vaccine related, “but we can confirm it was not”.

“The Northern Region Health Coordination Centre and the Ministry will undertake an incident review of the public health and clinical oversight of this person with independent input.”

There were 100 new cases reported yesterday – 97 in Auckland and three in Waikato.

There have now been 3871 cases in the current outbreak.

There were 26,999 vaccine doses administered yesterday, including 6659 first doses and 20,340 second doses. The ministry said 89 percent of New Zealanders had now had their first dose and 77 percent were fully vaccinated.

“Getting vaccinated will help to stop people from becoming seriously ill from Covid-19 and will save lives,” said the ministry.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

New Zealand today reported a drop by a third in the number of new community cases of covid-19 to 60 after a record high yesterday.

The Ministry of Health said 56 of today’s cases were in Auckland and four were in Waikato.

Yesterday the ministry reported 94 new community cases — the highest number since the pandemic began.

There were also two cases reported at the border today.

Authorities also reported that three positive covid-19 cases staying at an Auckland managed isolation facility allegedly escaped last night.

There were two separate escapes involving the three people who were staying at the Holiday Inn Auckland Airport managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facility in Māngere, South Auckland.

Two were caught five minutes later.

The other involved a woman with covid-19 who has since handed herself in to the police after fleeing quarantine in Auckland last night.

Police said she was being taken to a custody unit before appearing in Manukau District Court tomorrow on a charge of failing to comply with a health order.

She was allegedly on her way from hospital to a quarantine facility and had stopped to collect belongings from home, when she fled.

Twenty-two of today’s 60 cases are yet to be linked to earlier cases. There are 166 unlinked cases from the past 14 days.

43 people in hospital
There are 43 people in hospital, including five in intensive care.

The number of community cases connected to the current outbreak is now 2158 and there have now been 4854 cases in this country since the pandemic began.

In announcing today’s new covid-19 case numbers, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said infections were still expected to rise and daily numbers would bounce around.

He continued to encourage New Zealanders to get tested for the virus.

“Of the four new cases today in Waikato, two of those are close household contacts who were already in a quarantine facility and the other two were also known to have likely links to existing cases.”

The total number of cases in Waikato was now 56, 10 of whom have now recovered.

Dr Bloomfield again urged people in Waikato to get tested

“Yesterday, New Lynn’s Shadbolt Park was classified as a location of interest. It’s now been reclassified as an exposure event and has been taken down from the Ministry of Health website.

“Having looked further into the event, which was being managed by a PHU elsewhere in the country it is now being assessed as an exposure event with a small number of people who are contacts.

“They are all known, have all been contacted and are now isolating.”

42,809 vaccine doses given
There were 42,809 vaccine doses given yesterday — 10,392 first doses and 32,417 second doses.

He said health teams in Auckland had moved away from using suburbs of interest as part of their testing regime because the infections are widespread across the city.

Testing instead was going to be focused in areas where there was a higher test-positivity rate, where the risk of unidentified cases is considered potentially higher.

“People with symptoms and even if they are mild symptoms, even if you are vaccinated in New Lynn and the North Shore suburbs of Rosedale, Redvale and Bayswater please do go and get tested as soon as possible,” Dr Bloomfield said.

He said it was important to determine whether there were undetected cases in those communities.

Dr Bloomfield also said from Thursday healthcare employees working into quarantine and isolation facilities would be allowed to work in other healthcare facilities without the need for a 48-hour stand-down period and negative test requirement.

“This will allow greater flexibility in using that MIQ workforce and of others being able to supplement that workforce and reduce some of the real pressure that is under that workforce,” he said.

Third dose for some
He said information was going up on the Health Ministry’s website soon relating to the third dose of the Pzifer vaccine for immuno-compromised people.

It would include the inclusion criteria, including how this small group of people would be identified and when they would receive their third vaccination.

“You will not be able to book a third vaccine on the Book My Vaccine website … details will be up on the website later this afternoon,” he said.

Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki has pleaded not guilty to breaching bail and lockdown rules governing mass gatherings.

It is Tamaki’s second court appearance in relation to mass gatherings.

He was granted bail by Judge Josephine Bouchier to appear before the Auckland District Court next year.

Police have also laid charges against four people in relation to organising and attending mass gatherings in the upper North Island on October 16.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

The number of covid-19 vaccinations given out during New Zealand’s Super Saturday event yesterday has just ticked over the 130,000 mark.

In a statement this afternoon – in which it was confirmed there were 51 new community cases today – the Health Ministry said a total of 130,002 doses were given out across the country yesterday.

They included 39,025 first doses and 90,977 second doses.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the record-breaking numbers provided a “huge boost” to New Zealand’s fight against the coronavirus.

“People across the motu embraced Super Saturday like their communities’ lives depended on it. It was inspiring to witness as we know the Covid-19 vaccine is key to our efforts to control the virus,” he said.

Dr Bloomfield said Auckland did “incredibly well” with 41,081 people vaccinated there yesterday, including 9,039 first doses and 32,042 second doses.

“They’ve hit 89 percent of their eligible population who have had their first dose and are tantalisingly close to reaching 90 percent,” he said.

‘Get vaccinated asap’ plea
“I continue to urge everyone in Auckland who hasn’t received their first vaccination to get vaccinated as soon as possible. And remember, we’re not stopping at 90 percent – the higher, the better for everyone.”

There has now been a total of 6314,182 doses given in New Zealand – 3,565,822 (85 percent) first doses and 2,748,360 (65 percent) second doses.

Epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker today called for more mass vaccination events, saying the first one united the country.

The Health Ministry confirmed 51 new community cases today, including four in Waikato.

There was no media conference today.

In its statement, the ministry said two of the Waikato cases were linked to earlier cases and they are investigating any links the other two may have.

“One lives in Hamilton and the other has an address in Kihikihi. It is possible that the Kihikihi case is the source of the wastewater detections in Te Awamutu, however this has not yet been confirmed.”

23 cases remain unlinked
It said 28 of today’s 51 cases were linked, of whom 18 were household contacts, and 23 remained unlinked with investigations continuing.

The ministry also said it could also confirm that there was one household in the area Wellsford with cases, after two positive detections in wastewater.

“Wellsford residents are urged to remain vigilant and get tested if they have any symptoms.”

There were 41 new community cases yesterday, all in Auckland except for one that was identified in Waikato.

There have now been 1945 cases in the current outbreak, and 4632 in this country since the pandemic began.

There are 29 people in hospital, including five in intensive care.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Ka pai Aotearoa, we’ve reached 100,000 COVID-19 doses for #SuperSaturday! pic.twitter.com/VBdTw8ab3R

— Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora (@minhealthnz) October 16, 2021

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Aotearoa New Zealand easily eclipsed the government’s “Super Saturday” day-long goal of 100,000 vaccine doses today, with 129,519 doses given out by 8pm closing.

By 2.39pm, there had already been a total of 90,616 doses across the country, according to the Ministry of Health.

Vaccine clinics were open across the country as health workers target a 90 percent vaccination milestone.

By 5.30pm, there had been a total of 124,669 doses.

Speaking on the televised Vaxathon event this afternoon, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said 150,000 doses was now the new target for the country.

Ardern and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield were going around the Wellington region, as they joined the drive to get people vaccinated.

The ministry reported 41 new community cases of covid-19 in New Zealand today.

There was no media conference today. In a statement, the ministry said there were also two new cases in managed isolation.

It said 20 of the community cases were linked, and 21 remained unlinked with investigations continuing.

There were 124 unlinked cases from the past 14 days.

One of today’s new cases was in Waikato. The ministry said the case was a household member of two existing cases and was already in a quarantine facility in Auckland.

There are now 31 people in hospital, all in Auckland, including six in intensive care.

There were 65 new cases yesterday.

There have now been 1895 cases in the current community outbreak and 4580 since the pandemic began.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

A third woman who was with the two women who travelled to Northland also tests positive https://t.co/klbr0WLtAc

— RNZ News (@rnz_news) October 16, 2021

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

More than 120 extra vaccination sites will be open for New Zealand’s ‘Super Saturday’ event tomorrow, with the Ministry of Health saying vaccines remain the country’s “number one protection against covid-19”, reports RNZ News.

The Vaxathon — New Zealand’s first — aims to boost vaccination numbers by around 100,000.

The event will run from 12pm to 8pm on Saturday and will be broadcast on multiple platforms, including TV3, Māori Television and on Hahana’s Facebook page.

Well-known celebrities, influencers and health professionals will front the live broadcast to help capture the atmosphere and experiences of those receiving their first or second vaccine.

RNZ will be providing on air and online coverage, including a live blog, from across the nation.

More about Super Saturday here.

All of today’s 65 new community cases in New Zealand were recorded in Auckland.

There was no media conference today. In a statement, the ministry said 34 of these cases were linked, 10 were household contacts, and 31 remained unlinked with investigations continuing.

There have been 107 unlinked cases in the past 14 days.

While the cases were all in Tāmaki Makaurau, a second test for covid-19 in Te Awamutu’s wastewater returned a positive result.

The sample was taken on Wednesday, after detection of covid-19 in wastewater on Tuesday.

As part of the effort to get everyone in Aotearoa vaccinated against COVID-19, a dedicated team has been put in place to support people with disabilities to access the vaccine. ? Read more about these important services here: https://t.co/qMzckiq0We pic.twitter.com/Kp68QQojYQ

— Ministry for Pacific Peoples (@Pacific_Peoples) October 12, 2021

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National Māori Pandemic Group Te Rōpū Whakakaupapa Urutā co-leader Dr Papaarangi Reid has supported a return to a level 4 lockdown over the covid-19 virus crisis, saying she is concerned about the trajectory of the outbreak in Auckland.

“We’re at a very, very dangerous time in this outbreak in Auckland especially,” she said.

Professor Reid told RNZ Morning Report the group supported calls for a level 4 circuit breaker lockdown in Auckland to give Māori a chance to increase vaccination rates.

“… a circuit breaker would be ideal, to go back to a sharp level 4 conditions to buy us some time to increase vaccination rates and to decrease the spread that’s obviously happening in the community in Auckland,” she said.

But Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has ruled out moving back to level 4.

The Health Ministry reported 65 new community cases today — six fewer than yesterday.

There was no media conference today. In a statement, the ministry said 34 of these cases were linked, 10 were household contacts, and 31 remained unlinked with investigations continuing.

There have been 107 unlinked cases in the past 14 days.

There was also one new case in managed isolation.

Thirty-four people are in hospital, with six in intensive care.

Politics ‘promoted over health’
Dr Reid was concerned politics were being promoted over public health, adding that a 95 percent vaccination rate would help everyone.

“Because if anybody, any group is getting sick at a disproportionate rate, they will be taking up places in hospital, they will be taking up beds in ICU, that when our friends and whānau have a heart attack or have a car crash they won’t be able to access, get surgery done.

“It is in the best interest of the whole community that no subgroup in the community is left behind.”

Yesterday, Health Minister Andrew Little said the capacity of ICU and HDU beds nationwide could be surged to 550 beds.

“If we had to provide additional surge capacity to convert beds for ICU-level care then as a result of the work that started at the end of last year the DHBs tell us they can surge that up to 550 beds — that would be at the cost of other treatment and other patient care.”

Reid said some people were also taking longer to decide whether to get the vaccine.

“Different groups have different experiences, so for some people it’s not relevant, they don’t think covid is real.

‘Don’t believe it is relevant’
They don’t believe it’s relevant in their lives. We see those people gathering at protests.”

She put it down to the lack of suitable housing, mental health and addiction issues, and others who could not follow rules because they were in the cash economy and not subsidised by MBIE.

“… and that disproportionately falls on Māori. So whether or not you believe in how it was designed, we’ve got a different distribution of the population who are more likely to take longer to go through that decision-making process,” she said.

“That is beginning to change, but we still are several weeks behind in our catch up and we need that time.”

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

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The plan for New Zealanders with covid-19 to isolate at home suggests the government believes the spread is wider than had been thought, epidemiologist Professor Rod Jackson says.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said home quarantine would be introduced “fairly soon” as a necessary step to prevent MIQ spaces being limited even further for people coming to New Zealand from overseas.

University of Auckland professor of epidemiology Dr Rod Jackson said the outbreak had to be slowed down.

“Last night, there were 75 unlinked cases in Auckland. What that means is there’s a lot more cases out there.”

He said the speed of the spread of delta variant makes this outbreak worse than any previous one.

“I think the government’s clearly signalling that MIQ is going to be overwhelmed, the next thing is hospitals are going to be overwhelmed, everything’s going to be overwhelmed,” he said.

“We’ve just got to got to slow it down as much as we can.”

‘Huge risks’ with home isolation
There were “huge risks” involved with home isolation, he said, “but to me, it suggests that … they believe this problem is much much wider than we thought”.

“We are in a race against time to get everyone vaccinated, we just have to use everything in our power to slow [the outbreak] down as much as possible.”

Dr Jackson said vaccination should be mandatory for more sectors.

“I think it has to be the police, it has to be supermarkets. The other thing is that businesses are crying out for the licence to introduce their own mandates.”

With more than 80 percent of eligible New Zealanders having had at least one vaccine dose he said “the tide was turning” against those who were not vaccinated.

Covid spreading among rule breakers
Dr Jackson said he had supported the move to level 3 for Auckland last month, and believed returning to a period of level 4 lockdown may have little effect on the growth of cases.

“Covid is spreading among a group of people who are breaking the rules,” he said.

“You can be really hard on them, but you’re probably not going to ever stop them.”

University of Auckland public health associate professor Dr Collin Tukuitonga is sceptical level 3 had made little difference to the outbreak.

“That’s a very narrow view,” he said.

“The people who don’t obey the rules is only a subset of the total number of people who are likely to move around and spread the virus.

“Yes, these are people that are at most risk of spreading it but if you permit people to move around more than we did before you will no doubt transmit the virus around.

“I can’t see how you can say that level 3 and level 4 are the same risk.”

The drop to level 3 was premature and very risky for Māori and Pasifika where vaccination rates remain low, he said.

“I was on the record as saying tired Aucklanders and business people got the louder voice this time, and those of us in public health had a quieter voice.”

The government should be prepared to go back to level 4 if things got really tough, he said.

Home quarantine ‘not for everyone’
Dr Tukuitonga told Morning Report isolating at home would not be suitable for those living in crowded multigenerational households.

“It’s not for everyone,” he said.

“You’ve got to be quite clear about the criteria, you got to have a group of people you can trust to do the right thing, you need to make sure they have a good understanding of the risks, the facilities at home have got to be up to scratch.

“It can’t be a small state house with three bedrooms and 12 people.”

Dr Tukuitonga said anyone isolating at home must understand the risks involved, could be relied on to follow the rules, and have a suitable home.

He said some may think the move was risky, but it’s going to have to happen with cases growing.

“I know some of my public health colleagues will say ‘absolutely not, this is a highly, highly risky measure’, but as I say, you’ve got to be pragmatic,” he said.

“When we run out of facilities we’ve got to look at different options.”

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

More than 6 million vaccine doses have now been given in New Zealand, with the vast majority of those who have caught covid-19 during the current outbreak unvaccinated.

Speaking at today’s government briefing – where it was revealed there were 55 new cases today – Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said three-quarters of the eligible population were either fully vaccinated or booked in to do so.

Hipkins said just three percent of those in the current outbreak were vaccinated.

He said the best thing people could do to protect themselves and their whanau was to get vaccinated.

The government announced that the current covid-19 alert level 3 response in parts of Waikato and Northland will remain for another five days.

Auckland continues to remain at step 1 of level 3.

Truck driver case
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry said the risk from an Auckland-based truck driver who travelled to Northland on Saturday and had tested positive for covid-19 was low.

At today’s briefing, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the case was currently being assessed to identify any exposure events.

He said the case investigation was still in the early stages, initial information suggested a limited scope of exposure in Northland, given alert level 3 precautions within the delivery sector.

“The person was there from 3am to 12pm delivering to a number of places most of which were closed because of alert level 3 arrangements there.”

The ministry announced later this afternoon that an early childhood education teacher in Auckland had tested positive and 11 of their close contacts included six children who were in two separate bubbles.

Dr Bloomfield said My Covid Record is now accessible to the public via mycovidrecord.nz.

People over 16 years will be able to view their vaccination record on this website by creating a my health account.

“From later November people will be able to access two different types of vaccination certificates: one for use in New Zealand and one for travel overseas.”

Dr Bloomfield said people can also request the Ministry of Health for their vaccination status.

The numbers

• There were 55 new cases reported today
• Of the new cases, 29 were epidemiologically linked, 26 were yet to be linked
• The total number of cases this outbreak is 1719
• There are 32 people in hospital

See how the day’s covid-19 developments unfolded with RNZ’s live blog.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

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If New Zealand’s border restrictions are loosened for arrivals from countries with high covid-19 numbers, South Auckland will see between 1000 and 1400 cases a week — even if vaccination rates get to 90 percent, according to modelling carried out by the Counties Manukau District Health Board (DHB).

Under the modelling prepared for the DHB, if strong border controls and public health measures remained in place and the vaccination rate reached 90 percent, the Counties Manukau region would see only 40 cases and one hospitalisation per week.

This number jumps to 200 cases per week if vaccination rates reach only 80 percent.

The scenario gets grimmer for South Aucklanders if border and public health restrictions are lifted.

The DHB’s modelling shows there will be at least 1000 cases and 30 hospitalisations per week with a 90 percent vaccination rate, or 1400 cases and 45 hospitalisations if vaccination rates reach only 80 percent.

Given rates remain well below 80 percent in much of South Auckland, University of Auckland public health associate professor Dr Collin Tukuitonga said the modelling was too conservative.

“I think the vaccination rates are too ambitious and I think we will probably get more cases than 1000 a week,” Dr Tukuitonga said.

“And as a result, it will have a greater impact on Māori and Pacific people. This could get totally out of control – in terms of what we’ve experienced in New Zealand up to now.”

Pressure already immense
The pressure on Middlemore Hospital was already immense given “Māori and Pacific are most affected by the inequities in our society”, Dr Tukuitonga said.

“If the government loosens public health measures, there will be more cases, and that’s the risk people need to be aware of.

“The problem for Middlemore is that they are already stretched to their full capacity, even without covid, as they are underpowered to serve the population size that exists within Counties Manukau.”

At the opening of a mobile vaccination bus last month, Counties Manukau Health Chief Executive Margie Apa said the hospital had already been working hard to increase its capacity for covid-19 patients.

“We have done quite a lot of preparatory work to increase our ICU [intensive care unit] and high-dependency units,” she said.

“But what that does do is take bed stock out of being able to look after the rest of our non-covid patients.”

According to a DHB spokesperson, the hospital has 18 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, seven high dependency unit (HDU) beds and a special respiratory ward for covid-19 patients.

Planning capacity increase
It is also planning ways to increase “hospital capacity to care for all patients in a safe way”, the spokesperson said.

“Middlemore Hospital has been the epicentre of the covid-19 Delta outbreak with more than 1000 cases since the pandemic began in the Counties Manukau region.

The team’s experience is now being applied to how services and patient care will be provided in the future.”

A medical specialist familiar with Middlemore Hospital and its intensive care unit said given what the modelling shows and the hospital’s capacity, the implications for South Aucklanders with pre-existing conditions were “very serious”.

“When a person goes into intensive care with covid, they can spend up to 16 hours a day lying on their stomachs and are spending between four to six weeks in there.

“If every week you get just a tenth of hospitalisations going into ICU, you’re still going to get pretty overwhelmed pretty quickly.”

Lot of people suffering
An increase in covid-19-related deaths was “a reasonable assumption to make, and there will also be a lot of people just suffering, as they are unable to get the relief they were hoping to get from other interventions that had been planned but will be delayed,” he said.

Opening the vaccination rollout to all Māori and Pacific people from the start, and having it led by South Auckland providers, was the only way for the current scenario to have been avoided, he said.

“The people of South Auckland have borne the brunt of so much for so long, and you have to think they have been let down.

“They should have been listening to people on the ground but it seems they never learn.”

Local Democracy Reporting is a public interest news service supported by RNZ, the News Publishers’ Association and NZ On Air. This article is published by Asia Pacific Report in partnership with LDR.

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New Zealand’s Ministry of Health today announced 60 new community cases of covid-19, the most in nearly six weeks, while Northland and the Bay of Plenty continued to deal with positive cases visiting their regions.

Of the 60 new cases reported today, 56 were in Auckland, three in Waikato and one in Bay of Plenty that was announced last night.

It is the most new cases reported since September 1, when 75 cases were revealed.

In a statement today, the Health Ministry said 41 of today’s new infections had been linked to earlier cases.

There have been no cases reported yet in Northland after a positive case visited there, but the region remains on edge.

The ministry said there were 29 infected people in hospital, including seven in intensive care.

The ministry also reported that a person receiving treatment at North Shore Hospital dialysis unit yesterday tested positive for the coronavirus.

The unit closed yesterday afternoon for a deep clean.

There were 20,421 tests carried out in New Zealand yesterday, including 7071 in Auckland.

There have now been 1587 cases in the current delta outbreak, and 4265 covid-19 cases in total in New Zealand.

Positive case region visits
Outside of Auckland, officials continued to follow up details of a positive case who visited Northland and the other case revealed in the Bay of Plenty last night.

Authorities have now contacted a woman who travelled in Northland with another woman who later tested positive for covid-19, but they still do not know her location.

It is not known if this second woman has covid-19.

The woman who tested positive remains in an Auckland quarantine facility, the ministry said in a media statement.

That woman had not been “forthcoming” in providing information to contact tracers, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, complicating efforts to track down any possible cases.

The Bay of Plenty town of Katikati is also on high alert after a person tested positive yesterday for covid-19, with new locations of interest in the region named by the Ministry of Health this morning.

The infected person was tested in Auckland, but was moving to the Bay and was in the region when the result arrived.

Western Bay of Plenty mayor Garry Webber said Katikati was hoping to prevent further infection. He said the result was a weak positive.

“But regardless of what it is, it is here in one shape or form and we just have to get into preventative mode.”

This includes 18,000 people receiving their first shot, and 65,000 people completing their course of both vaccines.

Prime Minister Ardern continued her visit to East Coast communities to encourage vaccination with a trip to Gisborne this morning.

Turanga Health’s clinic was in high demand, with many people in cars lining up to be vaccinated.

Parts of the city have some of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.

This was the last stop on the Prime Minister’s four-day tour of East coast communities, and she returned to Wellington today. She visited Rotorua, Murupara, Hastings, Wairoa, Gisborne and Ruatōrea.

Ardern said she was trying to support people.

“There’s not too much that’s useful I can do at a vaccination centre, other than distract people when they get injected, or provide a coffee.”

In the last seven days 115,000 people have received their first shot.

Another 9700 Māori were vaccinated, after yesterday’s record of just over 10,000.

Auckland now has 86 percent of people with at least one dose.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

The calls for New Zealanders to get vaccinated are becoming more urgent by the day as covid-19 embeds itself in the community.

Two people have now died in the latest outbreak, the number of daily cases remains in the double figures and the virus continues to spread outside Auckland.

The government has announced a nationwide immunisation push for October 16 — dubbed Super Saturday — but one of Auckland’s leading Māori vaccinators is questioning what it will achieve.

Te Whānau o Waipareira runs two mass vaccination centres, and has given tens of thousands of Aucklanders their Pfizer shots.

Chief executive John Tamihere said the first he heard of Super Saturday was when Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins announced it at a media conference, saying it would be like election day, with clinics open all day and into the night

Tamihere said that would not cut it when it came to getting vaccine stragglers.

“They won’t necessarily turn up, the ones they are endeavouring to target. We have to go out into the streets and take each suburb street by street and to do that you’ve got to know where you’re sending and deploying your resources,” Tamihere said.

More resources rather than big show
“We would probably put a lot more resource into that campaign as opposed to big show days.”

The Ministry of Health today reported 29 new cases of covid-19 in the community, including five in Waikato.

Speaking at today’s government briefing, Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay said seven of the new cases in Auckland were yet to be linked to earlier cases, all of the Waikato cases were linked.

Yesterday, the death of a 57-year-old man from covid-19 was reported, along with 39 new cases in the community. Nine of those were in Waikato.

There have now been 22 cases in Waikato in the current outbreak.

One previous community case has been reclassified as under investigation, bringing the total cases in the outbreak to 1448.

There were also two cases detected in MIQ reported today.

7000 receive drive-through dose
But the recent six-day vaccination event at Vodafone Events Centre is being hailed a success after 7000 people received a drive-through dose.

Among them, many church members of the Assemblies of God Church of Sāmoa who know first-hand the harsh reality of the virus.

A father of seven who lost his battle with covid yesterday was a deacon at the church, and his wife is also in hospital with the disease.

Church spokesperson Jerome Mika said the community was grieving.

He said many members had been vaccinated at the drive-through event in the past few days which was a success due to the many community groups that had supported it.

“Community willingness to be able to just support and encourage their family members to come and get vaccinated.”

The experts agree.

Māori and Pacific leaders a must
Victoria University of Wellington immunologist Diane Sika-Paotonu said to be effective, any vaccination campaign must include Māori and Pacific leaders.

“They’re not just being called in right at the end to help make things work but rather they’re involved right from the outset at the design stage of any activities, events and interventions that are being planned.”

But one group argues they need the right information for that model to work.

Tamihere also heads the North Island’s Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency.

It is taking the Ministry of Health to court for refusing to hand over health data for all Māori that he said was vital to closing the “dangerous gap” in the vaccination rates.

It sits at just over 57 percent for a first dose compared with 81 percent of Pākehā.

“Tai Tokerau is way behind, the Bay of Plenty is way behind. These are Māori communities. It’s not that they’re stupid and dumb, it’s that they’re poorer and their priorities are different and it takes time to reach them.”

The Ministry of Health said it could not share the data because many of the people were not enrolled with Whānau Ora so officials were not authorised to hand it over.

The ministry will release information today on the most and least vaccinated suburbs in the country.

Yesterday 63,000 people were vaccinated as rates climb again after a month long dip.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz