Covid Watch

Promising signs on the horizon. 

Auckland’s going to get to 90 percent vaxxed soon, fingers crossed, and that’s going to force this Government to open some stuff up. 

And by stuff, I mean the border. The shops. The Auckland boundary. Normality is...

School holidays are over but not everyone is heading back to a classroom. 
It's the first day of term four, with students in Tāmaki Makaurau continuing with remote learning. 
Papatoetoe High School Principal Vaughan Couillault told Mike Hosking student engagement is at about 50 percent. 
"That doesn't mean that students aren't doing any work, what it means is the Zooms aren't switching them on. They're not getting on to those, which is why we need to get them back to school as quick as we possibly can." 
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We're being urged to continue to reach out to those who have yet to receive their first jab after Super Saturday. 
National Hauora Coalition Clinical Director Dr Rawiri Jansen told Mike Hosking there are families working long hours, with limited access to transport, who vaccinators still need to reach. 
"There are families where lives are really complex and challenged and don't have the resources and don't have the information yet. That's the group we've got to reach." 
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Auckland's mayor has labelled party-goers who breached lockdown "bloody idiots".  
Footage from the massive party at a North Shore property on Saturday night went viral on social media yesterday.  
Under Auckland's Level Three rules, only two households are allowed to meet outdoors - with a limit of 10 people.  
Phil Goff says these people should have thought about their families and the wider community.  
"It's just selfish and irresponsible to have an event like that, knowing it's breaking the rules when everybody else is making a sacrifice so we can get back to normal and have a decent Christmas together." 
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Another decision day for the Government on the alert levels and restrictions in Auckland, Northland and Waikato. 
Cabinet will review the settings for all three regions this afternoon. 
Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says the lack of cases in Northland is promising, but the new cases in Waikato are a concern. 
He says told Mike Hosking the situation in Auckland is more complex. 
"The cases numbers increased through last week, the R value means they will keep increasing. We want to keep them as low as possible, but our vaccination rates kept going up." 
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It's the first day of term four, but Auckland students still don't know when they'll be back in the classroom. 
That's despite initial indications they would be coming back 
National Party Education Spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says we should get on with it once enough teachers are vaccinated. 
He says told Kate Hawkesby the real danger isn't kids going to school, it's kids not going to school. 
"They're falling behind, they're losing track with their friends, losing the habit of getting to school. And let's face it, it's a complete lottery as to whether they're actually learning when they're in lockdown." 
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National's health spokesperson is hailing Super Saturday as a "wonderful" day and a real success.
A record-breaking 130,002 people got a Covid-19 jab across the country yesterday.
Deputy Leader Shane Reti spent the day vaccinating in a coastal community in Northland.
He told The Weekend Collective he's happy with the day's numbers.
“I thought if we got anything over 100,000, so the target’s been about 50,000 a day and I thought if we can double that, that it was going to be a good outcome. So I think we should all be pleased to have achieved that.”
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A suggestion more work needs to be done following the Super Saturday vaccination drive.
Just over 130,000 doses were administered nationwide.
It means at least 85 per cent of the eligible population has had their first dose.
But Auckland University epidemiologist Professor Rod Jackson told the Weekend Collective the vaccine push is far from over.
“500,000 eligible Kiwis who are not vaccinated, and that’s where we need to turn our energy to now. We need a different approach.”
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Vaccinations for Maori made great progress on Super Saturday.
A record 21,000 vaccines were administered to Maori yesterday.
Associate Minister for Health Peeni Henare told the Weekend Collective the total number is a good thing, but those that came forward for their first dose is just as important.
"Over half of those numbers were first-time vaccinators, so that's absolutely fantastic, but we still know we've got more to go, but we'll tick the box on yesterday and call it a success."
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More than 130,000 vaccines were administered on Super Saturday.
Auckland vaccination rates now sit at 89 per cent with a nationwide vaccination rate of 85 per cent.
As part of Super Saturday, a vaxathon was run, which was successful in driving up the vaccine numbers.
However, the need for a target date for Auckland to move out of lockdown in phases is critical.
There is also traction for a move away from MIQ where people can enter New Zealand and have to quarantine at home without the need for going to hotels.
And Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford have had a hiccup with their wedding.
The two have cancelled their wedding venue in Gisborne over a dispute with catering by Kiwi celebrity chef Peter Gordon.



Listen above as Liam Hehir and Irene Gardiner discuss the week's news with Francesca Rudkin on The Sunday Panel