Covid Watch

You could see it coming from a mile away. We're now hitting vaccine resistance. 
We have done well with about 78 percent of the eligible population jabbed or booked for a jab. But it's where we hit the wall, and we hit it this week. It would be one of the highest resistance walls in the world; so that in and of itself is something to be proud of. 
There are many countries who ultimately ended up being widely vaxxed but hit a wall way earlier than us. What it means is the mad push we have seen get underway this week is not going to be as arduous as it has been elsewhere. 
Social media influencers are being urged to push jabs and the Prime Minister reverted to her favoured kindergarten teacher stance with the van rollout. Too many of the media reverted to their kindergarten type coverage of a pandemic by indulging her childishness, and tragically some even joined in.   
On a quick side-note, just how it is you can laugh and make light of this sort of thing as lives are ruined and tipped up because of a lockdown that was entirely avoidable? My bet is those who giggled the most have never owned a business started one, or employed anybody. 
But back to the resistance, and we have a red flag of sorts. The goal, not that there is one, but the goal is freedom. The red flag is what sort of freedom? What do you mean by freedom? There is no answer to that because there is no goal. 
It's either naivety on the part of the Government, or a game. My bet is it’s the latter. I reckon they don't want to open, because we are in one giant experiment. They will keep us guessing. 
The lessons are there. Victoria is being stiffed as we speak. The road to freedom announcement is Sunday. The leaks so far show freedoms of exceedingly small proportions. That will merely lead to resentment and disappointment. 
History shows, in general, when governments grab powers, they are reluctant to drop them. 
Of course, get vaccinated. Mainly so you won't die or end up on a machine. But vigilance and pressure will still be required as we move from this week. When we hit the wall demand-wise to the end of the road, whenever that is and, whatever it looks like, you see it's not just the virus we are battling. 
It's a Machiavellian overlord called the Labour Party who's taste for control should not be underestimated.

New Zealand schools are missing their international students, and not just because of the money they bring in. 
Primary, intermediate and secondary schools lost 40 million dollars in revenue between 2019 and last year, because of foreign students returning home 
Figures will be worse this year, with enrolments tipped to be lowest next year. 
Secondary Principals' Association president, Vaughan Couillault told Kate Hawkesby there's a cultural aspect to the students' stay as well. 
"We get to experience and be part of the learning from different cultures. At my school, the Vietnamese community really adds value to our school culture." 
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A warning that New Zealand can't take a "she'll be right" approach to our vaccination rate. 
New modelling shows if our vaccination rate reaches the 70s or low 80s, opening borders and lifting restrictions could lead to thousands of deaths. 
Tens of thousands of people could also be hospitalised, stretching the health system to its limits. 
Canterbury University's Professor Michael Plank told Mike Hosking we must get a vaccination rate in the 90s, to make outbreaks smaller and more manageable. 
"It is possible to get there, and certainly we'd have to try and do everything we can to get there. Because that's the way to reduce the health impacts that will come when we open up our borders and we inevitably do start to see outbreaks." 
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A lifetime gang member has concerns, about Covid-19 spreading within gang communities. 
Some members of an Auckland Mongrel Mob chapter are isolating, after a woman visited the Mongrel Mob Pasifika pad in Takanini while positive with the virus. 
Ashley Bloomfield says he's not concerned about the situation. 
But lifetime Black Power member Denis O'Reilly told Kate Hawkesby he should be. 
"We are many in number, highly mobile and disobedient. Just like certain Aucklanders going to Wānaka." 
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A lack of foreign pupils is likely to mean more pain for schools next year. 
Primary, intermediate and secondary schools lost $40 million in revenue between 2019 and last year as international students went home. 
The numbers are expected to be worse this year and next year. 
Waihi College Principal Alistair Cochrane told Mike Hosking his 35 European students have left, meaning some staff have already lost their jobs. 
"We've put some staff on a retainer to keep things ticking over, but I have no confidence we will be able continue to do that into 2022." 
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Auckland's Level Four lockdown could be making the grass even greener on the other side.  
Real estate agents in regions such as Tauranga are reporting record levels of interest from Auckland home buyers. 
Some are even making lockdown sales where the buyers haven't been able to see the property.  
Valocity valuation director James Wilson told Kate Hawkesby it was already happening pre-lockdown, but now it's coming to a head. 
"We've now seeing and hearing those stories around interest levels spiking, you look at agencies reporting massive interest for listings that do come up." 
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Monoclonal antibodies are being labelled a game changer for those with Covid-19. 
The government’s working on approving and funding drugs which work to help boost your immune system once you get Covid. Ashley Bloomfield today stressed that they work alongside vaccines not as a replacement. 
Kurt Krause an infectious diseases physician at Otago University says new evidence shows they're really good for preventing Covid in people who've had an unexpected exposure.  
An injection of these antibodies within 96 hours has been found to be about 80-90% effective at preventing Covid following that exposure. 
Krause says it could be a gamechanger because it has the potential for shutting down the spread of Covid after someone has been exposed. 
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Auckland parents are begging schools to bring the holidays forward, so they fall during lockdown rather than during lockdown.
President of New Zealand Educational Institute Liam Rutherford says it will mean a really long term four.
He says last lockdown, a lot of wellbeing issues didn't come when kids were back in classrooms but weeks later.
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Social media can make it easier for people to be abusive.
Otago University mental health specialist Chris Gale says social media played a part in the reaction people had to the couple that fled Auckland lockdown for Wanaka.
He says social media such as Facebook or Twitter makes it easier for people to hide behind a screen and be horrible.
He also says their angry response comes in part to people being scared due to Delta.
Gale says all it takes is someone breaking the rules to bring out anger.
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The Covid-19 Response Minister's explained why Monday's MIQ voucher release won't be for travellers from Australia.
The new MIQ booking system aims to level the playing field for returnees, randomly allocating rooms to people in a virtual lobby.
The first 3000 rooms from now until Christmas will be available from Monday.
Chris Hipkins says there's a logistics issue with scheduling red flights from across the ditch.
He says they need to work with airlines to organise red flights, and make sure they line up with voucher releases.
Hipkins says an opportunity is not far off for those in Australia.
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