Northland, Auckland and the rest of New Zealand

Thirteen days in lockdown level 4. 17th August to 30th, then Aotearoa is not completely basically confined to their houses for the most part.

I wasn't feeling good about the community cases numbers going up and now some are in hospital and ICU.

I'm still not sure about bringing what is not Northland and Auckland out of level 4. It's not to do with the competency of the health experts and governmental decisions. It's because it's covid-19, specifically Delta. It's not even really to do with vaccination, or lack of.

I looked up level 3 again on the official NZ Covid website and yes, it still is pretty restrictive, but still more free than level 4 of course. Yes, it's the mental aspect too, but NZ don't have the same access and amount of resources like the UK, Hong Kong and other governments with healthy enough economies, resources etc.

Lockdown isn't good for any government and population but to protect human life, if it is the best decision, do it.

Long-term, governments can't keep using lockdown (I might've said this before), so they need competent advice, solid allocation of resources, solid infrastructure and sound decisions, among other factors, so everyone can live as safely as possible with the least amount of restrictions.

NZ has by and large only had two major lockdowns, at the beginning of 2020 and this one, which may be longer when the country has the least amount of restrictions. I say the latter because one health expert, maybe more, has said maybe level 1 after this outbreak, will not be the same as the level 1 before this outbreak.

I really hope the general population learn and understand from this outbreak and at least wear fucking masks more than they are, or aren't. If in a few years when covid is contained globally and I ask someone in NZ what it was like when I'm visiting, I would not at all be surprised if they responded along the lines of: "we dodged a bullet"; "it was alright, we had two lockdowns"; "we had two lockdowns, they were horrible, I hated them" or they don't really remember, it's a vague feeling. That means it didn't impact them much, which quite frankly, is frightening but not surprising at all.

- A.M.

Delta in Aotearoa

This is crunch time.

I read about the first covid community case in New Zealand before others who live there. One case, no link to the border or MIQ as far as they knew, which is their Managed Isolation Quarantine.

Then I asked a good friend who knows what the fuck he's talking about if the World could contain the covid Delta variant, which is the most infectious and transmissible variant currently, before it mutates to an even more infectious and transmissible variant, theoretically is it possible we might contain all variants and the original? His answer: yes.

Later on, I still don't understand why masks are not mandatory at level 4 - what the fuck?! 'Advising' people is not enough, throw money, manpower and everything else you need to make people wear them.

Then I thought I heard on rnz.co.nz that it was the Delta variant. I couldn't believe what I heard but it was one sentence. RNZ live had started around that time. I waited. Then they said it was Delta and 4 more community cases, so a total of 5, all linked to the man in Devonport announced yesterday. One of them is a fully vaccinated nurse, which is a double whammy: Delta and double vaccinated. If you've educated yourself, then you know why vaccination is still important and possibly, what it was created for, but my information for the why/what is for AstraZeneca.

The information of the four new cases and it being the Delta variant were directly from Jacinda Ardern.

I didn't have a positive response to the one case and it's got worse since hearing about the 4 new ones around 6.39 am. I love NZ dearly, and I acknowledge it has done well, it deserves praise, but I also know the psyche/culture/lifestyle after living there for over 9 nine years. It's not just about the virus. The NZ government is restrained in its covid response by money, possibly manpower, inexperience and fear (Jacinda said this herself, see sources below). No NZ government has had to handle a health issue like covid before.

It is up with Hong Kong in its response and The Economist's normalcy index, Hong Kong was first and New Zealand second when said index was announced. Aside from Hong Kong's politics and almost necessarily included in that is its relationship with China, Hong Kong had SARS and not only that, was the epicentre. It also had bird flu and swine flu. NZ basically had neither of the three. Hong Kong is an international hub. New Zealand is not. Hong Kong borders China so that is a close gateway for covid. New Zealand is an island and far away from China so possibly and likely it would take a longer time to reach New Zealand. Broadly speaking everyone in Hong Kong can get one of the two vaccines available and the progranme started earlier this year. NZ has only recently started. Hong Kong has never been in lockdown. NZ has and is.

I am terrified of New Zealand discovering whatever "too many cases" are (I'll feel it when it's too many) and not being able to handle it. Ashley Bloomfield is super competent but I think governments who can afford to throw A LOT of money to contain covid, even if the number is uncomfortable huge, they should do it.

Living in New Zealand is perfect in many ways, but paradise, whatever the reason, covid or not, can be broken/dented/shattered. Actually, maybe it can contain it, but it needs to do a lot more. No one can be surprised by the USA or England's response to covid with Trump and Johnson 'leading' them: they have infrastructure, money, but bad, maybe even an incompetent leader in Boris's case.

I will not be surprised if Aotearoa struggles and/or gets overwhelmed or even had to live with it indefinitely, but I really really do not want it to.

Everyone, wear a fucking mask at all times outside the house.

New Zealand, show the World you can efficiently keep covid/Delta out of the community.

Jacinda Ardern, show the World what a young, a woman, a working mum country leader can do, among a majority of leaders who are male.

You could be the covid fighters.

- A.M.

Delta in Aotearoa

This is crunch time.

I read about the first covid community case in New Zealand before others who live there. One case, no link to the border or MIQ as far as they knew, which is their Managed Isolation and Quarantine.

Then I asked a good friend who knows what the fuck he's talking about if the World could contain the covid Delta variant, which is the most infectious and transmissible variant currently, before it mutates to an even more infectious and transmissible variant, theoretically is it possible we might contain all variants and the original covid? His answer: yes. Practically I know this is probably not possible.

Later on, I still don't understand why masks are not mandatory at level 4 - what the fuck?! 'Advising' people is not enough, throw money, manpower and everything else you need to make people wear them.

Then I thought I heard on rnz.co.nz that it was the Delta variant. I couldn't believe what I heard but it was one sentence. RNZ live had started around that time. I waited. Then they said it was Delta and 4 more community cases, so a total of 5, all linked to the man in Devonport announced yesterday. One of them is a fully vaccinated nurse, which is a double whammy: Delta and double vaccinated. If you've educated yourself, then you know why vaccination is still important and possibly, what it was created for, but my information for the why/what is for AstraZeneca. I wouldn't be surprised if it is the case for Pfizer-BioNTech. 

The information of the four new cases and it being the Delta variant were directly from Jacinda Ardern.

I didn't have a positive response to the one case and it's got worse since hearing about the 4 new ones around 6.39 am NZ time. I love NZ dearly, and I acknowledge it has done well, it deserves praise, but I also know the psyche/culture/lifestyle after living there for over 9 nine years. It's not just about the virus.The NZ government is restrained in its covid response by money, possibly manpower, inexperience and fear (Jacinda said this herself, see sources below). No NZ government has had to handle a health issue like covid before.

New Zeland is up with Hong Kong in its response and The Economist's 'Normalcy Index' a short while ago, Hong Kong was first and New Zealand second when said index was announced. Aside from Hong Kong's politics and almost necessarily included in that is its relationship with China, Hong Kong had SARS and not only that, was the epicentre. It also had bird flu and swine flu. NZ basically had neither of the three. Hong Kong is an international hub. New Zealand is not. Hong Kong borders China so that is a close gateway for covid. New Zealand is an island and far away from China so possibly and likely it would take a longer time to reach New Zealand. Broadly speaking everyone in Hong Kong can get one of the two vaccines available and the programme started earlier this year. NZ has only recently started. Hong Kong has never been in lockdown. NZ has and is.

I am terrified of New Zealand discovering whatever "too many cases" are (I'll feel it when it's too many) and not being able to handle it. Ashley Bloomfield is super competent but I think governments who can afford to throw a lot of money to contain covid, even if the number is uncomfortably huge, they should do it.

Living in New Zealand is perfect in many ways, but paradise, whatever the reason, covid or not, can be broken/dented/shattered, whatever verb in the past tense you want to use. Actually, maybe it can contain it, but it needs to do a lot more. No one can be surprised by the USA or England's response to covid with Trump and Johnson 'leading' them: the countries have infrastructure, money, but bad, maybe even an incompetent leader in Boris's case. By that I mean he is still in power.

I will not be surprised if Aotearoa struggles and/or gets overwhelmed or even has to live with it indefinitely, but I really really do not want it to.

Everyone, wear a fucking mask at all times outside the house.

New Zealand, show the World you can efficiently keep covid/Delta out of the community.

Jacinda Ardern, show the World what a young, a woman, a working mum country leader can do, among a majority of leaders who are male.

You could be the covid fighters.

.

.
. 

I didn't watch the covid update with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield live. But I did watch it. Around 1.54 pm latest NZT.

I am glad mask use is mandatory for basically when you are outside your house. But, Kiwis will likely stay in because they don't want to wear one/it's too much fuss. Really? I've been wearing a mask since late January 2020: I make sure it covers my nose and of course my mouth.

Two more community cases so 7 in total.

All cases are linked to the New South Wales outbreak. As I said in 'Happy Valentine's Day New Zealand', https://holandt.blogspot.com/2021/02/happy-valentines-day-new-zealand-3.html, "Australia is like a 'travel tunnel' to New Zealand".

Also to note: 

- Police had arrested people

- Police can issue infringements to people

- Police can fine people for not wearing a mask or not wearing one for no reason

.

.

.

Then I read on RNZ live about Minister for COVID-19 Response Chris Hipkins's saying there were more positive community cases, less than 10, with no "confirmed chain of transmission" and he couldn't say if containment was going to be in Auckland and the Coromandel. I didn't like reading that. I will listen to the interview when I can, Checkpoint was still live so I couldn't and this post will be published soon.

stuff.co.nz, link below, informed me of the positive AUT student in the community so total is now 8. RNZ Live confirmed this as Stuff isn't always accurate.

Kia kaha New Zealand, Aotearoa.

- A.M.

Sources:

https://www.miq.govt.nz/

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300185880/flattening-curve-was-not-enough-jacinda-ardern-talks-about-new-zealands-covid-response-us-elections-in-ap-interview

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/126112124/covid19-aut-student-tests-positive-avondale-college-on-alert-over-teacher-case

To be injected or not injected: the covid-19 vaccine part III

So I got my first shot of Pfizer-BioNTech this morning.

Why? It's better than nothing; my age group is affected; it will make travelling easier; but maybe most of all, I don't want the people who love me to get hurt. 

As usual, the process was smooth because the government have too much money so they can haul ass and have everything not only in place, but without any hitches. I got to the sports centre and they let me in about 30 minutes earlier than my appointment, which was nice. It was the first time I've been inside a sports centre here and it was a bit surreal: huge, with nets and a basketball hoop that can be lowered, but of course not in this instance. We have to scan the QR code or write down our details in the event we need to be contacted if there's a covid cluster. There's a chance to use hand sanitizer. Then the registration officers dressed in green waist coats or white shirts check we have the SMS message for our appointment and check our identity before giving us a folder of information.

Then we actually enter the centre itself and are directed to sit down. A large part of the centre is taken up by chairs, some for waiting to be injected, some for resting for 15 minutes, others for 30 minutes. While we wait to get jabbed, we have to read the leaflet about the vaccine and then sign it. We're then told to go to one of the cubicles where details are checked, the signed leaflet is taken and questions asked by a nurse. I haven't had an injection since 2017, but it definitely felt like the needle was inserted for longer than other ones I've had, like the vaccine had a long way to go or either there's a lot to go into the human body. The nurse prints out my vaccination record: it is this that can be used when I travel and there is a QR code on it too. 

The nurse then writes on the folder the time I can leave the centre and I sit down to rest for 15 minutes. When the large digital clock corresponds to the time on the folder, I leave, but have to stop. The time on the folder is checked, I am given a pack of disposable masks (which I likely won't use) and a sticker. 

As for the injection site, I made sure the shot was injected in my non-dominant upper arm. It's just a bit sore and no noticeable side effects. When I took the plaster off, I was surprised there was blood: I've never had blood from an injection before I think. 

We'll see in 48-72 hours if I have any side effects, which is actually a reaction to the vaccine and positive because it means my body is defending itself. I'm in the category to experience side effects more than any other category. Apparently the second dose can have side effects or more side effects than the first, if you have them.

Do I feel guilty? No.

Do I have reason to be? Yes.

Inequality is everywhere and for all issues: race, sex, income, sexuality, education, wealth etc.

Covid has shown us, more than ever how selfishness, money, sex has contained or not, covid-19. The government here lets us choose between two vaccines. They have too much money and bought double the amount of the population. The most vulnerable could get vaccinated first. Then in April or May or maybe June, everyone else could get it. Not the young. When they felt comfortable, 12 year olds and up could get Pfizer-BioNTech. Unlike NZ, there was no supply nor manpower issue. At some point recently, 'older' people could just walk in. Online, you only had to book your second dose at the same time as the first and even then you can cancel or change the second appointment for Pfizer-BioNTech.

Yes, I am lucky. Yes it is unfair. But the government here has too much money, made the decision to buy double the amount needed, to open the vaccine programme to the general population. I do not control those factors.

I only control if I get vaccinated or not.

- A.M.