2019 Novel Coronavirus Covid-19 Discussion

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Mad Scientist
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#2659338 19-Feb-2021 08:21

clinty: This is a good, well written summary of why we see these types of cases, and other countries miss them, or don't report on them

It is definitely not click bait or fake news

Clint

Agree it's a great summary documenting all the weird cases where the source could not be found.

we just have to play Whack-a-mole vs the thing

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tdgeek

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#2659341 19-Feb-2021 08:24

Batman:

Agree it's a great summary documenting all the weird cases where the source could not be found.

we just have to play Whack-a-mole vs the thing

FTFY

Agree it's a great 2020 summary documenting all the not unexpected transmission, cases where the source could not be found.

trig42

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#2659343 19-Feb-2021 08:25

mattwnz:

Batman: Watching 1news associate health minister says our waste water testing so far negative meaning there is no large scale problem we don't know about

'Large scale' problem.

But as we know, it doesn't take long for it to become a large scale problem, as occurred in the previous Auckland outbreak.

I wonder what numbers it can accurately detect down to. Especially as there are cases going into the sewage , eg people infected in isolation hotels. So if they aren't detecting anything, then do these hotels nots connect to the sewage system? IMO we should never be using these numbers for any form of proof that there are no cases in the community. An indicator yes, but not proof. Some people use septic tanks etc too.

I saw on one of the news shows earlier this week that they can pick up traces in the wastewater even if only one person is infected.

The testing takes about 48 hours apparently.

GV27

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#2659401 19-Feb-2021 09:02

You can't say 'nothing should ever get through ever' simply because false negatives make that a literally impossible scenario. People need to be realistic.

What the article doesn't cover off is why we get told different things about incursions; like how we've been talking about lift buttons or rubbish bins as likely vectors but it turns out there's no proof of formite transmission actually happening at all, or that someone is being tested as part of routine border worker testing when they're actually border-adjacent and not required to be tested (and any testing done was part of a voluntary programme, which was missed because they were on leave).

Were it not for the waste-water testing definitively proving there is no wider-circulating Covid in the community, I'd have a hard time believing it. The story changes too often and without acknowledgement.

Thank God the vaccines have arrived, but at this rate there's likely to be at least one more incursion into the community before the border staff who get it feel the full affect. The community isn't going to be vaccinated for another couple of months. Will we be so lucky next time?

Batman

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#2659405 19-Feb-2021 09:06

trig42:

I saw on one of the news shows earlier this week that they can pick up traces in the wastewater even if only one person is infected.

The testing takes about 48 hours apparently.

it is possible. it's also possible that, associate health minister was being very cautious of the things she say because you can't be absolutely sure.

put it this way -

if it's positive, you could have 1, you could have 1 million infected.

but if it's negative, you cannot say there isn't a single person infected.

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#2659492 19-Feb-2021 10:02

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300234379/covid19-first-jabs-to-be-given-today--vaccinating-the-vaccinators

"New Zealand's Covid-19 vaccination programme starts today – with a small group of vaccinators the first to be given the vaccine behind closed doors.

The front line workers will be given jabs at the Auckland quarantine facility, the Jet Park Hotel, from 2pm."

What an odd decision, to vaccinate the vaccinators at the only place in the country with active cases.

GV27

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#2659500 19-Feb-2021 10:15

cshwone:

What an odd decision, to vaccinate the vaccinators at the only place in the country with active cases.

They did a dry run yesterday, they'll do the vaccinators today and then begin on the border staff tomorrow. Seem logical enough.

clinty

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#2659531 19-Feb-2021 11:32

What an odd decision, to vaccinate the vaccinators at the only place in the country with active cases.

They have said MIQ workers will be vaccinated at their workplaces ( easy to keep track, infrastructure already setup etc ). As they are starting with the staff most exposed ie Jet Park, makes sense to inoculate the vaccinators there as the equipment will all be setup.

Clint

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#2659554 19-Feb-2021 12:08

Batman:

... wastewater testing...

if it's positive, you could have 1, you could have 1 million infected.

I don't think that's completely correct.

My understanding (please correct me if I'm wrong) is that they use PCR to tell the RNA to start replicating (presumably all the human and dog and bird RNA & DNA present also starts replicating???) until they have enough to slice and dice and figure out what they've got.

The number of replication cycles needed to get to "enough" gives a rough approximation of how many viruses they had in the first place. And that in turn would give you a rough idea of how many infected people there were.

Secondly, a wide range of covid genetic variants would indicate a large number of infected people, whereas if there was only one variant, it would indicate one or a few infected people (probably all from one source).

So distinguishing between 1 and 1 million would be possible, but I expect that distinguishing between 1 and 10 would be difficult.

freitasm

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#2659558 19-Feb-2021 12:22

Press release:

Government eases visa restrictions for visitors in New Zealand

Visitor visa holders will be able to stay in New Zealand a little longer as the Government eases restrictions for those still here, the Minister of Immigration has announced.

“The Government recognises that some visitor visa holders are keen to stay in New Zealand longer while the COVID-19 pandemic is still attacking communities in their home countries,” Kris Faafoi said.

“We have also listened to New Zealand’s business sector, including tourism ventures, which say foreign visitors who are still here can help our local economies.

“So, where people are here on visitor visas which expire on or before 31 March 2021, the Government will allow their visitor visas to be automatically extend by two months. During that two month extension, which will be applied from the date of expiry on their current visa, they will need to apply for a new visa to stay longer,” Kris Faafoi said.

The automatic extension will apply to around 12,500 visa holders.

The extension does not apply to visitors on the special Covid-19 short term two month visitor visa, which was introduced in September last year.

In a second temporary change to immigration settings, the Government has agreed to temporarily waive a rule which states that visitor visa holders can only be in New Zealand for nine months out of an 18 month period.

“Most visa holders currently in New Zealand will have been here for more than nine months by now, which would have excluded them from applying for another visitor visa.

“Waiving this nine months of 18 rule means that visa holders who are still here can apply for a further six-month visa.

“While applicants with visitor visas expiring after 31 March 2021 won’t be eligible for the automatic two month extension, they can still apply for a new visa that gives them exemption from the nine months of 18 rule if they apply for their new visa before 30 June 2021. That is because the temporary waiver of that nine months of 18 rule will end on 30 June 2021.

“Applicants will still need to meet all other requirements for a visitor visa, including proof that they have enough funds to support themselves in New Zealand, as well as pay for their travel home at the end of their stay,” Kris Faafoi said.

“While we have made these changes to help many visitors facing uncertain and worrying situations back in their home countries because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government wants to make clear that people who are here on visitor visas are here as guests for a limited time. We cannot guarantee further extensions or waivers when these changes expire,” Kris Faafoi said.

He pointed out that the Government expects all migrants in New Zealand to ensure they are here lawfully and are able to support themselves.

“Temporary migrants who are in New Zealand without the means to support themselves, or who become unlawful, are at risk of migrant exploitation or not being able to meet their basic needs. Migrants who stay here after their visas have expired also risk having their unlawful status count against them should they wish to travel to New Zealand or elsewhere in the world in the future,” Kris Faafoi warned.

Immigration New Zealand will email affected visa holders to confirm the visa extension by 5 March 2021.

Editor’s notes:

More information about visitor visas will be available at immigration.govt.nz

Frequently Asked Questions:

How much money do visitor visa holders need to have?

To be granted a visitor visa, applicants must have at least NZ $1,000 per month, or NZ $400 per month if they have already paid for accommodation, or have an acceptable sponsor.

What does a visitor visa cost?

The cost of visitor visa applications is NZ $246 per application for one person. This charge includes an immigration levy and the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy of NZ $35.

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Scott3

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#2659565 19-Feb-2021 12:46

Regarding the visa extension, I support this, but why couldn't this have been announced a month or two ago, to give those on visitors visa's some peace of mind. If my number crunching is correct, some of the visa's would have already started to expire from the last 5 month extention.

Interesting that they have removed the time spend in NZ restriction, hence getting people to re-apply for visitors visa's after the 2 month extension, rather than have it automatic. I assume they want peoples ability to support themselves rechecked by INZ. Hopefully INZ has cleared most of their backlog...

duckDecoy

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#2659568 19-Feb-2021 12:49

cshwone:

The front line workers will be given jabs at the Auckland quarantine facility, the Jet Park Hotel, from 2pm."

My understanding is the PSA has additionally added the families of frontline staff into the schedule too, which seems like a good idea. One of their staff mentioned "superman syndrome", meaning once you've been vaccinated you might subconciously become a little slacker in washing hands and taking precautions etc so vaccinating family members is a sensible step.

wellygary

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#2659662 19-Feb-2021 13:24

Scott3:

Regarding the visa extension, I support this, but why couldn't this have been announced a month or two ago, to give those on visitors visa's some peace of mind. If my number crunching is correct, some of the visa's would have already started to expire from the last 5 month extention.

They may have moved to a different Visa types or left....

The numbers remaining on Tourist Visas continue to Fall.

In May 2020 is was "Over 56,000"
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/pragmatic-changes-immigration-act-respond-covid-19-passed

In September 2020 it was "approximately 19,000"
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/short-term-relief-visitors-and-temporary-migrants-facing-travel-restrictions

and now its down to "around 12,500 visa holders."
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-eases-visa-restrictions-visitors-new-zealand

freitasm

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#2659785 19-Feb-2021 14:01

One new case today, linked to the second household.

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wellygary

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#2659797 19-Feb-2021 14:13

freitasm:

One new case today, linked to the second household.

They are one of the Household members of the case that was a Close contact of student (case A)..

So have been in isolation since Sunday (14th)... not really a big worry, it will add a few more locations to the contact tracing list, but its unlikely they were infectious (or infected ) prior to the original case being detected over the weekend...

https://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/media-releases/4-cases-covid-19-0

The case (case G) is a household contact of cases D, E and F which we announced on Wednesday. This person had previously returned a negative test, taken on Monday 15 February and has been isolating at home and is in the process of transferring to the Auckland quarantine facility.

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