New Zealand Locked Down with Delta

[Bodi]

Just happened last night.

 

[SNOWFLAKE]

I just love how the OP gave us a one line story with no source or context, for those who read the one line and don't know the full story:

All of New Zealand enters 3-day hard lockdown over single COVID-19 case

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern put New Zealand under strict lockdown on Tuesday after the country's first coronavirus case in six months was reported in the largest city of Auckland.

www.cp24.com

A THREE DAY LOCKDOWN!

SHEESH!

 

[Utility Man]

".....Auckland, where the infected man lives, and Coromandel, where he had visited, would go into a full lockdown for seven days and the remainder of the country for three days while health experts tried to find the source of his infection....."

New Zealand Is Locking Down The Entire Nation After Finding A Single Coronavirus Case

The prime minister said Auckland, where the infected man lives, and Coromandel, where he had visited, would go into a full lockdown for seven days and the remainder of the country for three days.

www.npr.org

 

[Bodi]

I just love how the OP gave us a one line story with no source or context, for those who read the one line and don't know the full story:

All of New Zealand enters 3-day hard lockdown over single COVID-19 case

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern put New Zealand under strict lockdown on Tuesday after the country's first coronavirus case in six months was reported in the largest city of Auckland.

www.cp24.com

A THREE DAY LOCKDOWN!

SHEESH!

View attachment 67348339

I had faith that those interested would look into it... and just look at you!!! You did it!

 

[OrphanSlug]

And odds are New Zealand / Auckland will be done with this inside of a few weeks... again.

Not that I agree entirely with their tactics but at least they take this seriously.

 

[Ishm]

If you want to understand this you need to look at their complete process. It's worked fantastically well so far, better than nearly every other country, so they understandably have faith in it.

The 3 day nationwide lockdown is so their now very skilled and highly resourced contact tracers can determine if there is any serious risk that the bug has spread outside Auckland and the small holiday area the first case visited while infectious. If they find no serious risk the rest of the country will drop to a low, or no, lockdown level after 3 days. 3 days is pretty ambitious, so a day or two extension wouldn't be unexpected. If the bug has spread, they will likely extend that 3 days until their contact tracers have identified which other cities or regions are at risk. At that point the lockdowns will likely shift to at risk areas only.

The 7 days in the initially affected areas is again to allow contact tracing and to isolate all potential close contacts, and then all their close contacts. 7 days is really tight as some people may not show symptoms within that time, but everyone identified as being at risk will isolate until they can test clear. Expect that 7 days to likely extend by another week or so.

The big determining factor about the lockdown duration in Auckland is not going to be who got infected, but how the initial case became infected. If they can't link that case back to their border quarantine facilities which house infected arrivals, that would mean there is an unknown spreader out in the community. That could extend the lockdown out to 3 or 4 weeks. If however they can link the first case back to the border, the lockdown could even be over in the 7 days in a best case scenario.

As of the latest update, it seems there is a possible close link to a vaccinated, but now infected (no symptoms) hospital worker whose hospital is housing a badly ill covid case who recently arrived in the country. This is an example of their contact tracing and rapid testing finding and testing the potential links. That tracing and testing etc was all performed within 12 hours of the first case tedting positive. They are constantly monotoring their sewage water for covid nationwide and that has been testing clear everywhere pre this case, so the link to the hospital seems more probable than someone unknown wandering around unknowingly soreading the bug.

They genome sequence every case in the country, so they can match this first case directly to a particular border case if that is how the infection arrived. If this case matches to the sick person in the hospital the worker works at, they will know the train of transmission within 24hrs of the first case testing positive. That allows really focussed contact tracing and hopefully a short lockdown.

 

[Ishm]

Just saw an update. The genome sequencing links the case to the Australian outbreak, not the local hospital. That's bad news as there shouldn't be a path from Australia to NZ currently. Likely going to see some longer lockdowns.

 

[Ishm]

Their health guys are now predicting up to 120 cases before the outbreak is contained. So far their covid forecasts have been pretty accurate. Let's see how this one is.

Some upside though. Their central bank (like the fed reserve) was about to raise interest rates today due to their economy starting to overheat. Delta pulled the plug on the interest rate rise for now.

 

[Ishm]

They have found a person with a link to the border that is infected. Now trying to join the dots to the other cases. If they can do that it will help to speed up isolating those at risk. Unfortunately a bunch of teenagers/20 somethings in this cluster so lots of socializing to be contact traced. Things are moving quickly.

 

[snakestretcher]

I just love how the OP gave us a one line story with no source or context, for those who read the one line and don't know the full story:

All of New Zealand enters 3-day hard lockdown over single COVID-19 case

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern put New Zealand under strict lockdown on Tuesday after the country's first coronavirus case in six months was reported in the largest city of Auckland.

www.cp24.com

A THREE DAY LOCKDOWN!

SHEESH!

View attachment 67348339

That's the way New Zealand has managed to keep the virus at bay. They don't **** around whining about 'freedom!' but get on with the job of keeping themselves safe. I wish them well.

 

[Slartibartfast]

That's the way New Zealand has managed to keep the virus at bay. They don't **** around whining about 'freedom!' but get on with the job of keeping themselves safe.

Its almost as if the faster you solve the problem the faster you can get back to normal life!

 

[snakestretcher]

Its almost as if the faster you solve the problem the faster you can get back to normal life!

Imagine that!

 

[Ishm]

So they seem to be making progress. They believe they have tracked the point of initial spread to an infected traveller in one of their border isolation hotels. Person tested positive when isolating after arriving from Australia so was moved to a 2nd full quarantine hotel, then got really ill and ended up in a hospital. Somewhere in the two hotels the virus breached the containment. Note they had a case a while back where the virus spread between 2 hotel rooms who had their doors open at the same time for less than 5 seconds. So good news is they probably know where it started. Bad news is that they have already found 21 cases. They are expecting to find around 100 cases so there are still plenty not yet tested. Maybe not even ill yet so this is where rapid contact tracing can isolate people before they become contagious.

As anywhere, not everyone agrees with the lockdown and/or masks. First 2 arrests today for a couple who got abusive when asked to wear masks in a supermarket. 3 more arrests for anti something protesters breaking the social distancing/masking rules. Seems crazy. Of all the countries in the world, their people know best how a proper hard lockdown can beat covid to everyones benefit, but still some can't help but roll out the conspiracy theories etc.

Some interesting interviews reported with small business owners saying how hard the lockdown will be on them, but also saying that the govt business/wage support will really help and that the lockdown might be tough, but it is the right thing to do.

Expecting the Auckland lockdown to last an extra week at least, and they will likely add a few days to the rest of the country as well. Good news is that so far the sewage monitoring has only revealed cases in areas where they know there are cases. Everywhere else in the country is clear so far, but of course people may still be incubating the virus so more time needed to be more certain..
.

 

[Ishm]

So they have extended their lockdown until next weds at earliest. Pretty much as expected. Cases now now spread to a 2nd city. 31 cases total so far. Can they beat Delta?

They have found the original source and are still tracing and isolating the wide number of contacts. Guess we will find out if a lockdown can best Delta once it has already spread.

One thing is that they take the lockdown seriously. Couple of anti lockdown/maskers sitting in jail this weekend after ignoring the rules. Few more who didn't keep properly socially distanced and masked might be joining them. Lockdowns only work if they really are lockdowns.

 

[snakestretcher]

So they have extended their lockdown until next weds at earliest. Pretty much as expected. Cases now now spread to a 2nd city. 31 cases total so far. Can they beat Delta?

They have found the original source and are still tracing and isolating the wide number of contacts. Guess we will find out if a lockdown can best Delta once it has already spread.

One thing is that they take the lockdown seriously. Couple of anti lockdown/maskers sitting in jail this weekend after ignoring the rules. Few more who didn't keep properly socially distanced and masked might be joining them. Lockdowns only work if they really are lockdowns.

I've said much the same about mask mandates. They're only effective if they come with serious legal consequences for non-compliance. Otherwise they are no more use than a polite request.

 

[soylentgreen]

As anywhere, not everyone agrees with the lockdown and/or masks. First 2 arrests today for a couple who got abusive when asked to wear masks in a supermarket. 3 more arrests for anti something protesters breaking the social distancing/masking rules. Seems crazy. Of all the countries in the world, their people know best how a proper hard lockdown can beat covid to everyones benefit, but still some can't help but roll out the conspiracy theories etc.


.

I just do not have any sympathy for the protesters. NZ has been in level 4 lockdown for 10 days so far and all except those in auckland and above go to level three in three days. Level three means take out food shops can open. Level three is also called level 4 with takeaway.
Friends in australia seem somewhat scornful about any hint of hardship from nz, but then they have been in lockdown for 230 days.

 

[Bodi]

I've said much the same about mask mandates. They're only effective if they come with serious legal consequences for non-compliance. Otherwise they are no more use than a polite request.

Or if you just have a polite population that does not scream FREEEEEEEDOM at the mere notion of wearing a mask.

 

[Bodi]

So they have extended their lockdown until next weds at earliest. Pretty much as expected. Cases now now spread to a 2nd city. 31 cases total so far. Can they beat Delta?

They have found the original source and are still tracing and isolating the wide number of contacts. Guess we will find out if a lockdown can best Delta once it has already spread.

One thing is that they take the lockdown seriously. Couple of anti lockdown/maskers sitting in jail this weekend after ignoring the rules. Few more who didn't keep properly socially distanced and masked might be joining them. Lockdowns only work if they really are lockdowns.

I had a guy yell at me last week as I was entering the store putting my mask on... it was kinda funny. I assume he was denied entry for not wearing one.

 

[donhughesmusic]

I had a guy yell at me last week as I was entering the store putting my mask on... it was kinda funny. I assume he was denied entry for not wearing one.

Quick question Bod, is the vitriol over mask/no mask as crazy in New Zealand as it is here in the States?

 

[Bodi]

Quick question Bod, is the vitriol over mask/no mask as crazy in New Zealand as it is here in the States?

It is worse than I thought, after talking to some cashier girls/ladies at the grocery stores... but I doubt it compares to the crap I see coming out of the States.

I have only seen two incidents... but then again I am isolated out in a small coastal village not interacting with anybody other than others like me out for daily walks on the beach. I had a guy yell at me, at the store, for putting on a mask... He walked at me shouting, "YOU DON"T HAVE COVID" as I shooed him to the side and I said, "Cool, thank you" and just walked past.

 

[Marrybore]

New Zealand is unfortunately not free of idiots.

 

[donhughesmusic]

It is worse than I thought, after talking to some cashier girls/ladies at the grocery stores... but I doubt it compares to the crap I see coming out of the States.

I have only seen two incidents... but then again I am isolated out in a small coastal village not interacting with anybody other than others like me out for daily walks on the beach. I had a guy yell at me, at the store, for putting on a mask... He walked at me shouting, "YOU DON"T HAVE COVID" as I shooed him to the side and I said, "Cool, thank you" and just walked past.

Part of me would have wanted to pull the old Stone Cold Steve Austin "What? What? What?" if he yelled at me for wearing a mask

 

[Bodi]

Part of me would have wanted to pull the old Stone Cold Steve Austin "What? What? What?" if he yelled at me for wearing a mask

He was a straight up Bogan... far easier just to brush 'em off with a laugh.

 

[Bodi]

New Zealand is unfortunately not free of idiots.

Agreed... they permeate all parts of the world!

 

[snakestretcher]

Agreed... they permeate all parts of the world!

If you run short of idiots you can have the one running my country, free of charge. Just ask.