54 cases is a nice sign

Alert 3 will see a more robust border control. 

tdgeek:

 

54 cases is a nice sign

 

Alert 3 will see a more robust border control. 

 

 

 

Add to that 65 recovered in the last 24 hours.  Total active cases has reduced.  That makes me happy.

floydbloke:

 

tdgeek:

 

54 cases is a nice sign

 

Alert 3 will see a more robust border control. 

 

 

 

 

Add to that 65 recovered in the last 24 hours.  Total active cases has reduced.  That makes me happy.

 

True, I didn't look at that. Excellent

I see the reality that the wealthy and influential aren't immune is hitting: 

Pep Guardiola's mother dies of CV-19

Even with the lower number of 54 today it has been going well over the last few days, the number of tests have been going up but we have been on around the same number of "new" counts for the last few days.  Meaning the over all percentage has been tracking down of new cases.  Shows the lock down is working and doing what it should.  Just remember however it only takes 1 person for it to all start again after we come out of level 4.

I just got reminded it was Easter this weekend; I finally get to have a break after a very hectic few weeks at work trying to get everything organised for remote from home and then the training.
I see this weekend as the "make or break"; if the media reports that it is looking good, then I feel quite a few people will take that as ok to head out for a normal Easter break rather than having 4 days at home. 

Which is the worst possible thing they could do!

nzkiwiman:

 

I just got reminded it was Easter this weekend; I finally get to have a break after a very hectic few weeks at work trying to get everything organised for remote from home and then the training.
I see this weekend as the "make or break"; if the media reports that it is looking good, then I feel quite a few people will take that as ok to head out for a normal Easter break rather than having 4 days at home. 

 

That's my big worry. That we blow it and back to the beginning over Easter, which of course we won't know for a while. But reporting of breaches over the weekend should give us an idea if it is likely.

And here we go: "Mr. Trump himself has a small personal financial interest in Sanofi, the French drugmaker that makes Plaquenil, the brand-name version of hydroxychloroquine." https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/us/politics/coronavirus-trump-malaria-drug.html 

freitasm:

 

And here we go: "Mr. Trump himself has a small personal financial interest in Sanofi, the French drugmaker that makes Plaquenil, the brand-name version of hydroxychloroquine." https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/us/politics/coronavirus-trump-malaria-drug.html 

 

He will simply label it fake news and his followers will believe him. The real issue is he is pushing a drug that is untested for this purpose but of course he is a medical genius, a perfect medical genius.

cshwone:

 

nzkiwiman:

 

I just got reminded it was Easter this weekend; I finally get to have a break after a very hectic few weeks at work trying to get everything organised for remote from home and then the training.
I see this weekend as the "make or break"; if the media reports that it is looking good, then I feel quite a few people will take that as ok to head out for a normal Easter break rather than having 4 days at home. 

 

 

That's my big worry. That we blow it and back to the beginning over Easter, which of course we won't know for a while. But reporting of breaches over the weekend should give us an idea if it is likely.

 

Press release:

 

The Government is stepping up efforts to help protect New Zealand’s Pacific communities in the fight against COVID-19.

 

Cabinet has agreed that $17 million will be allocated to support a COVID-19 Pacific Response Package, which will:

 

• Support Pacific health and disability services facing increased demand;
• Ramp up public health messaging and guidance for Pacific communities in Pacific languages;
• Roll out a new outreach programme putting non-clinical health support staff into Pacific communities, linking high-risk Pacific people with important services.

“New Zealand mobilised quickly against COVID-19 by locking the country down and encouraging people to stay at home. However, our Pacific communities face unique challenges that require a targeted response to keep our communities well and out of hospital emergency rooms,” Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa said.

 

“This response provides that, helping us  communicate with our Pacific communities in our own languages so people better understand what they need to do to combat the virus, and how they can obtain help when they need it,”

 

“It’s also about ensuring the continued availability of By-Pacific, For-Pacific health and disability services for Pacific people throughout this pandemic.

 

“Our Pacific communities are highly urbanised, with larger family sizes than the average population, and many are living in overcrowded housing. As a result, Pacific families face a higher risk of rapid COVID-19 spread if actions like those announced to stop the spread of the virus are not adhered to.

 

“Pacific communities also face greater challenges in accessing health and disability support services, which means they are at greater risk as services shift from traditional face-to-face practices to online in light of the virus. This Pacific health package keeps Pacific people connected to the critical health services that could literally save lives.

 

“Our Government continues to act decisively to protect those at greatest risk. In our COVID response, we are seeking to ensure no one is left behind. We are working to protect the health of New Zealanders and to keep businesses running and as many people as possible in jobs.

 

“It is now up to all of us Pacific families to do our part to stamp out COVID-19: stay at home, stay in your family bubble, wash your hands, be kind to each other, and save lives,” Jenny Salesa said.

 

Press release:

 

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced that New Zealand will enter into transit arrangements with a range of countries to make it easier for each other’s citizens to get home.

 

“There are millions of people around the world stranded by COVID-19 and we are continuing to do our part to help them get home,” Mr Peters said. “Accordingly, Cabinet agreed yesterday that New Zealand would seek reciprocal transit arrangements with a number of countries to enable our citizens to transit each other’s airports.

 

“One barrier to New Zealanders getting home at present is the transit restrictions imposed by a number of countries. We continue to seek assistance from these countries to enable New Zealanders to transit through their airports in order to come home.

 

“At the same time, New Zealand has received an increasing number of requests from foreign governments to allow the transit through Auckland of their nationals, including those currently in Pacific Island countries, so that they can connect with commercial or evacuation flights to their home countries,” Mr Peters said.

 

“We will be adopting a strict criteria in determining who can transit New Zealand, which protect public health and meet New Zealand’s COVID-19 level four requirements.”

 

Those requirements include that transiting passengers:

 

• Must remain airside;

 

• Cannot enter New Zealand;

 

• Have a maximum 10-hour window to leave on their onward flight;

 

• Must have no COVID-19 symptoms, no contact with a suspected or confirmed  case and not be awaiting test results; and

 

• Must have confirmation from the airline that they will be permitted to board for their entire journey – as well as confirmation prior to boarding that their destination country will permit arrival.

 

On March 25, as part of COVID-19 restrictions, New Zealand airports were closed to transiting passengers, with the exception of Australian citizens. Yesterday’s Cabinet decision opens up the potential for transits by foreign nationals, in a carefully managed way.

 

Press release:

 

The Government’s wage subsidy to protect jobs and keep workers and businesses connected during the lockdown has now supported over a million New Zealanders, with $6.6 billion already paid out.

 

“We’re supporting businesses to pay wages, and stay connected with their workers so that we are all in a better position to kickstart the economy on the other side,” Finance Minister Grant Robertson says.

 

“This helps make sure people have what they need during this lockdown to stay home, break the chain and save lives. The best way to support the economy is to fight this virus.”

 

The million-worker milestone was reached following $1.25 billion of payments on 6 April, taking the total paid out to $6.6 billion.

 

This is supporting the wages of 1,073,129 workers, comprised of 914,931 employees and 158,198 sole traders. This represents 41% of the New Zealand workforce. In total, 305,363 applications from businesses, the self-employed and sole traders have been approved.

 

“We moved early to get money got out the door to protect jobs and support New Zealanders through the lockdown. We won't be able to save every job and every business, but we are making sure people have the underlying support they need to get through this,” Grant Robertson said.

 

Minister of Social Development Carmel Sepuloni said MSD staff are getting the payments out to support workers and businesses at an unprecedented pace. MSD has brought in more front-line staff to take on the work load.

 

“In a number of countries, similar schemes aren’t paying out yet. We’ve moved fast and early, supported by a dedicated team at MSD.

 

“We continue to ask people to remain patient, and know that staff are working as hard as they can to process applications,” Carmel Sepuloni said.

 

The Treasury estimates the 12-week scheme will pay out between $8 billion and $12 billion. For each full time worker, businesses receive a lump-sum payment of $7,029.60, and for each part time worker $4,200. The full value of the subsidy has to be passed on to employees, unless their normal wages are below the subsidy, in which case the employee must be paid at least their normal wages.

 

Press release:

 

The State of National Emergency to support the COVID-19 response will be extended a second time, for a further seven days.

 

The initial declaration was made on March 25, and the seven-day declaration can be extended as many times as necessary. It does not change the length of the Alert Level 4 lockdown.

 

“On the advice of the Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management and after consultation with the Prime Minister, I consider the State of National Emergency should remain in place to support the COVID-19 response,” Minister of Civil Defence Peeni Henare said.

 

“The powers activated by the State of National Emergency enable civil defence emergency management professionals to carry out critical work during this time including managing roads, traffic and public places; providing first aid, food, shelter and accommodation.

 

“Use of these powers have included the requisitioning of a carpark so it can be used as a community-based assessment centre, and to support NZ Police to prevent people from doing non-essential activities.

 

“As we enter our third week under a State of National Emergency and at Alert Level 4, I would like to thank all New Zealanders who have continued to work tirelessly to support the response to COVID-19 through these incredibly challenging times.

 

As I mentioned last week, now is the time for us to remain at home and be strong together as a nation - kia kaha Aotearoa,” Peeni Henare said.

 

The State of National Emergency and the COVID-19 Alert Levels are two distinct and separate things. The Alert Levels specify the range of measures that we are taking against COVID-19. A State of National Emergency provides the people managing the response in an emergency, in this case COVID-19, access to powers they would not normally have, but might require now to implement and enforce these measures. 

 

This declaration by the Minister of Civil Defence extending the State of National Emergency can be found in the Gazette https://gazette.govt.nz/