2019 Novel Coronavirus Covid-19 Discussion

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#2635239 14-Jan-2021 10:08

frankv:

I do wonder what information MedSafe needs that the UK, USA, and other countries haven't needed for their emergency approvals. Surely that information can be made available to MedSafe immediately?

Trials don't stop at the end of phase 3 - it's an ongoing process. Some safety issue could crop up. So it's not information data they know - it's the risk of something cropping up that they don't expect.

It was pretty easy to see the increasing trend line in new cases would lead to the number of deaths per day and overrun that are happening now - it was and still is an emergency. Here in NZ - not so much (hopefully we can keep it that way).

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wellygary

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#2635321 14-Jan-2021 11:56

Positive news from the the P1+2 parts of the Janssen (J+J) trial - single dose and NZ has orders for 5 million doses ( not sure what the delivery window is)

Phase 3 results from the 40K trial are due at the end of January

" In the New England Journal of Medicine, an international team of researchers who tested the vaccine in around 800 volunteers said the early stage trials showed it was safe and probably should work.

The researchers -- in the Netherlands, the United States and Belgium -- tested the vaccine in a group of people 65 and older and a group ages 18 to 55.

Vaccination elicited neutralizing antibodies -- expected to stop the virus from infecting cells -- in 90% of all participants by the 29th day after the first dose of vaccine and in all of them by two months after the first dose. The levels of these antibodies stayed stable for at least 71 days, they reported.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/13/health/johnson-coronavirus-vaccine-early-trials/index.html

freitasm

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#2635322 14-Jan-2021 12:12

Press release:

The Government has approved an exception class for 1000 international tertiary students, degree level and above, who began their study in New Zealand but were caught offshore when border restrictions began.

The exception will allow students to return to New Zealand in stages from April 2021.

“Our top priority continues to be the health, safety and wellbeing of all people in New Zealand,” Education Minister Chris Hipkins said.

“The need to carefully manage our borders is as critical now as at any time in the past nine months. We continue to learn more about the virus and adapt accordingly with stronger and more tailored border protections, depending on risk.

“Within our safety-first framework, we also have a responsibility to carefully balance our decisions, to support New Zealand’s economic recovery.

“This border exception delivers on a part of the recovery plan for international education. It underscores the Government’s commitment to the international education sector, which is important in the country’s long-term economic recovery from COVID-19.

“The students will return to New Zealand in phases, beginning with a cohort of 300 that will be able to return from April, with the remaining students returning throughout the year as MIQ availability allows.

“The return of these students will not affect the ability of Kiwis to return home and it is balanced against the requirement for skilled workers to enter the country.

“They will be subject to the same border rules and quarantine regime as all other arrivals – with any additional restrictions depending on where they come from.

“They will need to book their space through the allocation system and will be billed the standard charges for managed isolation. They also need to be able to do more to support themselves in New Zealand, with the living expenses that are required for international students to be granted a visa now raised to $20,000 – up from $15,000.

“This system allows providers to welcome back students who have made the greatest commitment to New Zealand, and manage pressure on the MIQ system,” Chris Hipkins said.

“The Government remains committed to working with the international education sector to ensure options for the broader return of international students continue to be considered, and that opportunities can be taken as and when it is safe and there is capacity to do so,” Chris Hipkins said.

“The annual economic value of this group of 1000 degree-level international students is estimated to be roughly $49 million in wider economic contribution, including approximately $27 million in tuition fees.”

Border exception details

Students with questions about this border exception should contact their providers. The Ministry of Education will continue to work with tertiary education providers to manage this process.

To be eligible for this border exception, students must

hold, or have held a visa to study in 2020
be studying towards a bachelor’s degree level or above qualification
have studied in New Zealand in 2019 or 2020 toward their current qualification
be returning to study with their current provider
need to be in-country to complete their study.
Priority will be given to students who are closest to graduation.

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wellygary

7384 posts

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#2635328 14-Jan-2021 12:31

"“The students will return to New Zealand in phases, beginning with a cohort of 300 that will be able to return from April, with the remaining students returning throughout the year as MIQ availability allows.

AND

“The return of these students will not affect the ability of Kiwis to return home and it is balanced against the requirement for skilled workers to enter the country."

A place in MIQ is a place in MIQ.... at the moment MIQ is slammed till the end of March, I can't think why it would get any less busy until mid year when the outbreak might start to get under control in the Northern Hemisphere....

If the T/T bubble goes sideways..... then these students will highly likely be taking spots Kiwis want in MIQ...

kingdragonfly

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#2635444 14-Jan-2021 13:44

Health Alert: U.S. Consulate General Auckland

Thursday, January 14, 2021 1:14 PM

Effective January 26, 2021, the United States government will require all air passengers arriving to the United States from a foreign country to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test result taken no more than three days before the flight departs. This includes U.S. citizens and Legal Permanent Residents, and persons 2 years of age or older. The announcement can be found here:

Further information about testing in New Zealand can be found on the NZ Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 page for travelers. There will likely be a charge for pre-departure testing. Your primary care provider will tell you the cost and how to pay.

The tests that will be accepted are viral tests: NAAT or an antigen test. The verifiable test result must be in the form of written documentation of a laboratory test result, either paper or electronic.

This rule will be enforced by the airlines, who are authorized to deny boarding in the instance that a traveler comes without the required documentation.

Always follow CDC guidance (hyperlink) and state and local recommendations or requirements related to travel. Find more information on what to do after you travel internationally.

As reported last week, New Zealand will be implementing a similar rule that requires pre-departure testing for all travelers entering New Zealand from the United States and many other countries, effective January 15 at 23:59.

frankv

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#2635450 14-Jan-2021 13:50

The exception will allow students to return to New Zealand in stages from April 2021.

So, a month too late for the first semester of 2021. I wouldn't expect a big rush of returning students... maybe in July for semester 2?

wellygary

7384 posts

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#2635454 14-Jan-2021 13:58

frankv:

The exception will allow students to return to New Zealand in stages from April 2021.

So, a month too late for the first semester of 2021. I wouldn't expect a big rush of returning students... maybe in July for semester 2?

The other big off put will be MIQ changes and $20 grand living expenses requirement.....

“They will need to book their space through the allocation system and will be billed the standard charges for managed isolation. They also need to be able to do more to support themselves in New Zealand, with the living expenses that are required for international students to be granted a visa now raised to $20,000 – up from $15,000.

chatterbox

155 posts

Master Geek

#2635616 14-Jan-2021 15:55

sbiddle:
Batman: Whatever the effectiveness I think in the the first people who should get the vaccine are those working at the "border" with human contact. Any human contact. Inc quarantine, flight /port etc

We don't need 1.5m vaccines to cover them. Say 10, 000 should be a good start? How difficult is it to get 10,000 shots now and 10,000 in 3 weeks.

It's my understanding (and I'd love somebody to correct me and tell me that it's not true) that currently we can't vaccinate until our new NIS platform (NZ's new vaccine register) is built. Our old NIR platform has been deemed incapable of supporting Covid vaccines, so in August the Govt funded a replacement.

If you had the vaccine onshore ready to roll out, withholding it for an IT system makes no sense. Could retrospectively enter data. Just sounds too silly to be true.

DS248

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#2635655 14-Jan-2021 18:06

AU finally back to zero local cases - at least for today.

Oblivian

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#2635659 14-Jan-2021 18:14

I see Billy TK has been standing at parliament assisting with identifying a bunch of people that need their internet connections/use revoked for the good of the rest of us.

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/150-anti-lockdown-protestors-some-bearing-trump-flags-gather-parliament

Scott3

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#2635664 14-Jan-2021 18:38

wellygary:
The other big off put will be MIQ changes and $20 grand living expenses requirement.....

“They will need to book their space through the allocation system and will be billed the standard charges for managed isolation. They also need to be able to do more to support themselves in New Zealand, with the living expenses that are required for international students to be granted a visa now raised to $20,000 – up from $15,000.

This is just a "show money" requirement. Don't actually have to spend it all if you don't need to. (If you are from some high fraud risk countries you do need to transfer it to a nz bank that will pay it out to the student spread over the year).

An extra $5k of show money is not going to be a big barrier for most that can afford international fees, airfares isolation etc. Also it would be pritty easy for an International student to spend $20k in a year. Hall fees alone aren't that much less than that for a full year.

I saw pleanty of late model BMW's around the foreign language schools on Lorne st.

Big issues are going to be how oversubscribed this is going to be, and how it is it is going to be ensured that the foreign students don't stop kiwi's from returning. Is there going to be a priority booking scheme? Will they get bumped from their MIQ slot I'd a new zealander needs it?

DS248

1662 posts

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#2635726 14-Jan-2021 23:47

UK study concludes that past infection reduces the chances of catching the Covid-19 infection again by 83% for at least five months.

https://us.cnn.com/2021/01/14/health/covid-immunity-antibodies-intl/index.html

(Edited to better reflect the content rather than the headline!)

mattwnz

19389 posts

Uber Geek

#2635728 15-Jan-2021 02:30

With the new more infectious strains, NZ may have to rethink using hotels for MIQ, as Australia are now rethinking it, as they their outbreaks haven't been able to be linked. Some think it could be spreading with air conditioning due to the new UK strain being more contagious.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-how-covid19-spread-through-brisbane-quarantine-hotel/57c7b838-4a9b-4212-94e3-b72eeca864ef

This is a major worry for NZ. I am just waiting for a local case of this new strain to be announced in the community, as I think it is a matter if when, not if. . Been watching a lot of what the UK is going through. It is like Groundhog day over there.

sbiddle

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#2635729 15-Jan-2021 06:28

mattwnz:

With the new more infectious strains, NZ may have to rethink using hotels for MIQ, as Australia are now rethinking it, as they their outbreaks haven't been able to be linked. Some think it could be spreading with air conditioning due to the new UK strain being more contagious.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-how-covid19-spread-through-brisbane-quarantine-hotel/57c7b838-4a9b-4212-94e3-b72eeca864ef

This is a major worry for NZ. I am just waiting for a local case of this new strain to be announced in the community, as I think it is a matter if when, not if. . Been watching a lot of what the UK is going through. It is like Groundhog day over there.

According to the Ministry of Health our first two cases of CT of B1.1.7 happened in November when the Russian fisherman in Christchurch infected the healthcare workers. I'm really unsure why this whole incident seems to have been totally lost on both the Ministry of Health and media who seemed insistent our first cases of B1.1.7 here were in December, yet they reported this in November.

https://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/media-releases/1-new-case-covid-19-managed-isolation

The following day case B was identified as the same strain "that had not been seen before in NZ".

https://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/media-releases/1-case-covid-19-quarantine-worker

tdgeek

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#2635758 15-Jan-2021 08:30

mattwnz:

With the new more infectious strains, NZ may have to rethink using hotels for MIQ, as Australia are now rethinking it, as they their outbreaks haven't been able to be linked. Some think it could be spreading with air conditioning due to the new UK strain being more contagious.

Where to? NZ article mentions Ohakea or at strict supervision at home. Can Ohakea support 6000 MIQ people? There is no air conditioning there?

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