Covid Watch

The focus is shifting away from linking unlinked cases as Auckland's Covid-19 case numbers continue to rise. 
Another 71 new community cases were recorded in Auckland yesterday. 
Daily case numbers are expected to double in the next 14 days, which could put strain on the current contact tracing system. 
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield told Mike Hosking the main priority now is containment, rather than contact tracing. 
"At this stage, we're not putting too much resource into trying to find where the linkage is. The key thing is, of course, get these cases isolated as quickly as possible and find any contacts."
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Authorities have run out of options, for dealing with the uncooperative women at the centre of Northland's ongoing Covid lockdown. 
Officials believe they have all the information they are going to get out of the pair. 
That isn't much, with the two Covid-positive women refusing to confirm the locations of interest they visited while travelling throughout the region. 
Police Association President Chris Cahill told Mike Hosking there isn't much anyone can do. 
"The reality with these people is, they don't have to talk to Police, they have a right to silence and that's incredibly frustrating with the seriousness of what they've done." 
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Authorities appear to have hit a brick wall, with the uncooperative women at the centre of Northland's Covid lockdown. 
The Covid-positive pair have refused to reveal locations of interest they visited around the region 
Officials believe they have all the information they're going to get out of them. 
Former crisis negotiator Lance Burdett told Kate Hawkesby there's only so many times you can ask the same people the same questions. 
"You get one shot at it, and it's one chance only, because once you've asked her several questions, the next time you go back, they're already ready for those questions and more." 
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There were 71 new community cases today, and all were in Auckland.
Despite the news, Grant Robertson still insists we have the strictest lockdown in the world and blamed people gathering in people's homes as he urged everyone to follow Alert Level 3 rules.
Thames-Coromandel District mayor Sandra Goudie made the news for all the wrong reasons.
She defended her anti-vaxxer stance with Newstalk ZB as she stated she would refuse to take the Pfizer vaccine and instead wait for the Novavax.


Listen above as Trish Sherson and Nick Mills discuss the day's news with Heather du Plessis-Allan on The Huddle

Sandra Goudie is making news today.
The Thames-Coromandel District mayor defended her anti-vax stance on Newstalk ZB this morning, saying she'd be taking the Novavax vaccine over the Pfizer vaccine.
Thames-Coromandel councillor for the South East Ward Gary Gotlieb told Heather du Plessis-Allan her views aren't reflective of what the council views.
"She actually doesn’t realise that there is a huge support for what is being done by vaccination. We are in a pandemic. We have to do something."
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Vaccination is the only way out of the Delta outbreak.
That's the message from a medical expert after the Government reported 71 new Covid community cases in Auckland today.
Officials are warning daily infections will double in the next fortnight.
Auckland University Emeritus Professor Des Gorman told Heather du Plessis-Allan short sharp lockdowns have been useful, but things have changed.
“The time you’re getting to nine weeks and you’re seeing numbers going up and up and up, it’s impossible to imagine that the public will continue to comply with very strict stay-at-home guidelines.”
Gorman says the impact on hospitals could be similar to during flu season in winter and the level of sickness required to visit hospital or ICU will go up.
“The system will cope. It always has, it always will. But what you’ll see is avoidable deaths occurring, particularly in the elderly, and you’ll see a lot of people with cancer, heart disease and so on whose care will be deferred or delayed.”
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Sky-high hopes for the vaccination drive taking place at Auckland's SkyCity this weekend.
Free Sky Tower tickets are on offer for those getting jabbed there this Super Saturday.
The free event will take place in the carpark from 10am, and is part of many initiatives getting underway that day.
Chief Executive Michael Ahearne told Heather du Plessis-Allan they're hoping for good demand.
“The goal is to get 1000 people through. The Auckland DHB is running it, but there’s plenty of capacity, we could do a lot more than that.”
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I can’t make out what it is that people want from Sandra Goudie today. 
I totally understand if you’re angry at Sandra Goudie.
I’ve said before, it feels to me like a very selfish act to not get the jab.
Because if you’re unjabbed you might end up clogging up the ICU beds other more responsible people need.
And you could be the reason your town or city stays in lockdown longer trying to get jab rates up. 
So yes I understand if you’re angry at the Thames-Coromandel mayor for her position.
I have no sympathy for Sandra Goudie.
Neither for her views nor for her finding herself under fire.
But what do we want from her? 
We can’t force her to get the jab. It’s legally her choice.
We can’t force her to shut up. She has the right to express her opinion.
We can’t demand that she’s more responsible because there is no requirement on civic leaders to hold certain points of view, or to fall into line with the majority of us just because they’re in positions of leadership 
We can’t demand that she even explains herself because do we really want to hear that anti-science nonsense.
We shouldn't be surprised. She’s known for being a bit eccentric 
And she does represent a community that is probably a bit more eccentric than others.
And roughly about one in ten people you know are going to hold similar views to Sandra Goudie.
So help me understand the level of outrage and frustration today.
Is it simply because you think she and others like her are selfish and you just need to get it out of your system? 
Or is there something more constructive here?

Concerns sex workers are travelling around to keep working despite lockdown.
Two Auckland sex workers were arrested in Blenheim today after travelling without an exemption.
They appeared in Blenheim District Court this afternoon and were bailed with no plea back to Auckland.
Dame Catherine Healy of the Prostitutes Collective told Heather du Plessis-Allan some sex workers aren't engaged with formal systems.
“For various reasons related to stigma and so on, there are people who aren’t engaging with the wage subsidy or with the Jobseeker which they're all entitled to do so.”
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Our hospital system is gearing up to handle Auckland’s developing Covid outbreak.
The Ministry of Health is expecting a worst-case scenario of 5300 cases a week in Auckland and Northland alone with a 90 per cent vaccination rate.
Chief Medical Officer Andrew Connolly told Heather du Plessis-Allan although the numbers change all the time, we need to plan for that worst-case scenario.
“If the most vulnerable parts of the northern region don’t get the vaccine, the numbers that we’ve used of course could be worse. So we’ve got to be honest about that and just keep preparing.”
Connolly said most people will get better at home and don’t need the hospital, but the more people need hospitals and ICU, the more pressure they get put under.
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