2019 Novel Coronavirus Covid-19 Discussion

Forums › Health and fitness › 2019 Novel Coronavirus Covid-19 Discussion

1 | ... | 2421 | 2422 | 2423 | 2424 | 2425 | 2426 | 2427 | 2428 | 2429

20521 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4798

#3466886 5-Mar-2026 00:38

How many people are still getting their 6 monthly booster? I haven't had mine recently but thinking I may get it before winter. I know someone elderly who has recently been in hospital with what they said was a bad case of the flu, but they got treated like it was covid, so I am not sure if it was actually covid or not.

cddt

1981 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1926

#3466891 5-Mar-2026 06:22

I will get one when I get the annual flu vaccination, which is usually available early April.

MurrayM

2503 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 743

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3466911 5-Mar-2026 08:17

mattwnz:

How many people are still getting their 6 monthly booster? I haven't had mine recently but thinking I may get it before winter. I know someone elderly who has recently been in hospital with what they said was a bad case of the flu, but they got treated like it was covid, so I am not sure if it was actually covid or not.

{Puts hand up} Umm, me? And everyone in my extended family. No, I don't have any underlying medical issues, it just seems like the sensible thing to do.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80672 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41123

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#3466921 5-Mar-2026 08:38

MurrayM:

mattwnz:

How many people are still getting their 6 monthly booster? I haven't had mine recently but thinking I may get it before winter. I know someone elderly who has recently been in hospital with what they said was a bad case of the flu, but they got treated like it was covid, so I am not sure if it was actually covid or not.

{Puts hand up} Umm, me? And everyone in my extended family. No, I don't have any underlying medical issues, it just seems like the sensible thing to do.

I had mine just a couple of weeks ago. Delayed because of my cancer treatment at the end of last year, but back on track.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

Rikkitic

Awrrr
19081 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 16340

Lifetime subscriber

#3466935 5-Mar-2026 09:41

I always get mine on time. Delayed this year on advice of pharmacist to take advantage of improved vaccine available from this month.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80672 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41123

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#3468451 10-Mar-2026 15:04

Government press release:

The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 has been released today, delivering an independent account of the pandemic response and its lasting impact on New Zealanders, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

"New Zealanders lived through one of the most significant global public health and economic events. They made real sacrifices, and this report is an important step in understanding the impact of the decisions that were made and how we can learn from them," Mr Brown says.

Key findings from the Royal Commission include:

Restrictions were initially balanced, then went too far: COVID-19 restrictions were initially balanced and appropriate but extended beyond what public health advice recommended as the response continued.
Economic warnings were not heeded: Treasury advised from the outset that pandemic spending should be timely, temporary, and targeted. The $60 billion COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund spanned 821 programmes, around half of which were unrelated to the pandemic. The Commission found that many investments, including shovel-ready projects, did not meet those tests. The spending that followed drove up house prices and the cost of living for New Zealanders.
Public debt has left New Zealand exposed: The Royal Commission has made it clear that the debt accumulated during the pandemic has left New Zealand with less flexibility to respond to future economic shocks, and that prudent fiscal management is required to rebuild those economic buffers.
Opportunities to do better were missed: Many opportunities to improve economic decision-making were missed throughout the response, with high-level data failing to capture what was happening on the ground for ordinary New Zealanders
Auckland's lockdown went longer than advice recommended: Auckland was kept in lockdown and separated from the rest of the country for longer than what officials advised was necessary. A former Minister has since acknowledged that the public health benefits of lockdowns did not emphatically outweigh the costs by the end of 2021, despite Auckland and parts of Northland and Waikato being kept in lockdown.
Vaccine mandate advice for under-18s was not made sufficiently clear: Former Ministers were informed of advice against applying a two-dose vaccine mandates to 12-17 year olds due to myocarditis risks. The two-dose vaccine mandate remained, which did not align with this advice.
"New Zealanders supported the initial 2020 response. Communities came together and made sacrifices, and it protected New Zealanders’ lives. But the Commission has also found that restrictions continued longer than public health advice recommended, and that the economic costs were not given sufficient weight alongside the health response.

"New Zealanders remember what that period felt like – not being able to visit loved ones in hospital, struggling to get home from overseas, and keeping children home from school for months.

"Aucklanders experienced this more than most, spending more than six months in lockdown, the longest lockdown of any region in the country, separated from family and missing some of life's most important moments.

"The report also found that the cost of living pressures New Zealanders are still feeling today – and the ongoing lack of social cohesion for some – are part of that story.

"New Zealanders made enormous sacrifices and placed enormous trust in their government. We owe it to them to understand what happened and learn from it.”

The Government is carefully reviewing the Commission's findings and expects to outline its response to the recommendations by July, ensuring any future decisions balance the health and economic needs of all New Zealanders.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

HP

Shop now for HP laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80672 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41123

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#3468508 10-Mar-2026 15:51

COVID-19 2026 inquiry comments by The Spinoff.

The Spinoff comments on the COVID-19 inquiry 2024.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

kyhwana2

2572 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 233

#3468509 10-Mar-2026 16:04

mattwnz:

How many people are still getting their 6 monthly booster? I haven't had mine recently but thinking I may get it before winter. I know someone elderly who has recently been in hospital with what they said was a bad case of the flu, but they got treated like it was covid, so I am not sure if it was actually covid or not.

I just got mine (after ~7-8 months since the last one, due the updated LP8.1 booster becoming available from the start of March) and have been getting them every six months or so.

Also planning to get the flu vaccine in April and should looking at getting an MMR booster (given it's been ~30 years since my first round) given all the measles cases popping up!

granada29

68 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 57

#3468531 10-Mar-2026 17:06

freitasm:

COVID-19 2026 inquiry comments by The Spinoff.

The Spinoff comments on the COVID-19 inquiry 2024.

Quite a different emphasis than the article in Scoop: https://auckland.scoop.co.nz/2026/03/hipkins-must-explain-his-decisions-to-team-of-five-million/

Where did the $30B go?

Handle9

11935 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9693

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3468532 10-Mar-2026 17:07

granada29:

freitasm:

COVID-19 2026 inquiry comments by The Spinoff.

The Spinoff comments on the COVID-19 inquiry 2024.

Quite a different emphasis than the article in Scoop: https://auckland.scoop.co.nz/2026/03/hipkins-must-explain-his-decisions-to-team-of-five-million/

Where did the $30B go?

It's not an article. It's a National party press release.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80672 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41123

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#3468533 10-Mar-2026 17:08

granada29:

freitasm:

COVID-19 2026 inquiry comments by The Spinoff.

The Spinoff comments on the COVID-19 inquiry 2024.

Quite a different emphasis than the article in Scoop: https://auckland.scoop.co.nz/2026/03/hipkins-must-explain-his-decisions-to-team-of-five-million/

Where did the $30B go?

It is different because The Spinoff is an opinion, the Scoop article is a National press release, so the bias is up to 11.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

Geekzone support

Support Geekzone with one-off or recurring donations Donate via PressPatron.

johno1234

3379 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2856

#3468543 10-Mar-2026 17:43

freitasm:

It is different because The Spinoff is an opinion, the Scoop article is a National press release, so the bias is up to 11.

That is true. And the Spinoff bias would be at about 9.

I still want to hear Hipkins answer that question about the spending (we actually do know where it went), and Hipkins' response to the criticisms in the report. The first inquiry formed by Labour was inadequate in scope and looks like they were protecting themselves.

Handle9

11935 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9693

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3468547 10-Mar-2026 17:58

johno1234:

freitasm:

It is different because The Spinoff is an opinion, the Scoop article is a National press release, so the bias is up to 11.

That is true. And the Spinoff bias would be at about 9.

I still want to hear Hipkins answer that question about the spending (we actually do know where it went), and Hipkins' response to the criticisms in the report. The first inquiry formed by Labour was inadequate in scope and looks like they were protecting themselves.

What criticisms specifically? I’m assuming that you have read the report?

ezbee

2659 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3105

#3468559 10-Mar-2026 19:17

The real issue is how we did compared with our peers, as everyone was doing this for the first time, and we did well. People are alive to protest that would not be in Florida.

Around the world we saw helicopter money and vouchers for restaurants.

Like Australia we became overwhelmed with unexpected past citizens a good number had paid little taxes in NZ.
Possibly most still don't as they have gone back to their lives in their adopted country.

It was a crap situation with something you can't negotiate deals with.

My memory of polls at the time seemed to confirm, we did not want to go 'commando'.
We had that little problem with vigilantes in Northland, but it seemed those South of Bombay's were not too keen for early lift.

We got the vaccine with least side effects, scored well with people with other allergies, that was very effective, if not cheapest.

Handle9

11935 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9693

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3468562 10-Mar-2026 19:21

ezbee:

Like Australia we became overwhelmed with unexpected past citisens a good number woh had paid little taxes in NZ.
Possibly most still don't as they have gone back to their lives in their adopted country.

Past citizens had no right to enter. Citizens did.

I currently live overseas and pay tax in New Zealand. I'm probably in the upper quartile of tax paid over my working life while in the lower quartile of consumption of government services.

You are either a citizen or you are not. One of the most unpleasant parts of covid was people overseas being personally attacked for heinous crimes such as attending funerals and visiting sick family.

1 | ... | 2421 | 2422 | 2423 | 2424 | 2425 | 2426 | 2427 | 2428 | 2429