Professor Michael Plank takes a look at the most recent Covid-19 wave and shares key findings in an collaborative multi-author article on The Conversation. More at the source
Tag: COVID
NZ appetite for adult toys ‘remains high’ 1 year on from COVID sales boom
New Zealanders are purchasing more adult toys than ever according to sales data from New Zealand’s largest online adult retailer Adulttoymegastore, with sales up 48.5% since the spike in adult toy sales caused by COVID-19 lockdown restrictions eased in May 2020. Havelock North, Cambridge and Tauranga have seen the biggest growth in sales. Adulttoymegastore analysed…
Free Covid testing available through many GPs and testing centres – DHB
Canterbury Health Laboratories, part of Canterbury DHB, processed more than 4000 COVID-19 test swabs yesterday – a record for local testing. This included swabs taken at the drop-in CBTCs (community-based testing centres) and in general practice. Dr Helen Skinner, Senior Responsible Officer for the COVID-19 response, Canterbury DHB says this is a great cross-system response…
Covid Causes Cancellation of Cubbin Concerts
There’s a Silver Lining – A New Album and December Concert in The Great Hall “It’s been a tough call”. That from Cubbin Theatre Company director, Melanie Luckman. The Cubbin Concert series was to have seen five carefully crafted concerts for the under-5s hit stages around Christchurch and Rangiora through ‘til December. However, Ms Luckman…
Medical diagnostic laboratory workforce and living with COVID
The New Zealand Institute of Medical Laboratory Science (NZIMLS) would like to clear up some misconceptions that have been raised in the past month about the competence and ability of our diagnostic laboratory scientists working within the diagnostic laboratories in Aotearoa New Zealand. “It is easy for those outside of the diagnostic laboratory testing environment…
Fighting Covid on many fronts at Ara
Getting in front of Covid before it hits the South Island is part of the plan for Ara Institute of Canterbury. With cases of the Delta variant inching southwards towards Christchurch, Ara is helping to battle the deadly virus on many fronts. “We know that our MÄori and Pacific communities are the least vaccinated parts…
Covid takes toll on KiwiRail’s scenic trains – KiwiRail
KiwiRail will not restart two of its regular scenic trains until mid-2022, while the tourism market remains difficult and improvements are made to the services, KiwiRail Acting Group Chief Executive Todd Moyle says. KiwiRail’s three Scenic trains – Northern Explorer (Auckland – Wellington), Coastal Pacific (Picton – Christchurch) and TranzAlpine (Christchurch – Greymouth) have all…
As New Zealand relaxes restrictions, here’s what we can still do to limit COVID infections
As New Zealand relaxes restrictions, here’s what we can still do to limit COVID infections In a new article on The Conversation, UC’s Professor Michael Plank and UoA’s Dr Dion O’Neale and Dr Emily Harvey look at the measures still in place to reduce COVID-19 transmission. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the relaxations today, signalling…
How protesters demanding ‘freedom’ from COVID restrictions ignore the way liberty really works
How protesters demanding ‘freedom’ from COVID restrictions ignore the way liberty really works On The Conversation, University of Canterbury senior lecturers Andrew Vonasch and Michael-John Turp define liberty and explain the restrictions and risks that come with it, in the wake of the recent occupation of parliament grounds. Photo by Leroy de Thierry on Unsplash…
New Zealand’s border quarantine has intercepted thousands of COVID cases, but is it time to retire the flawed system?
New Zealand’s border quarantine has intercepted thousands of COVID cases, but is it time to retire the flawed system? As the government sets out New Zealand’s border reopening plan, University of Canterbury’s (UC) Professor Michael Plank, UC’s Giorgia Vattiatio, University of Auckland’s Professor Shaun Hendy and Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research’s Audrey Lustig explain why…
Canterbury agencies preparing for COVID in the community
Canterbury agencies are gearing up for a significant increase in the number of cases of COVID-19 in the region. “There are hundreds of people working across health, wellbeing, mana whenua and NGO social services to ensure that anyone who contracts COVID-19 in Canterbury or the Chatham Islands will be well supported, whether self-isolating in their…
Covid modellers win University of Canterbury research medal
Covid modellers win University of Canterbury research medal Two University of Canterbury mathematicians who helped develop world-leading modelling to guide New Zealand’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic have won a prestigious award. Since early March 2020, the pair have been key members of the national team of scientists at award-winning research centre Te Pūnaha Matatini,…
Christchurch COVID case sparks call to get tested
With the Ministry of Health confirming a case of COVID-19 in Christchurch today, Cantabrians who are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms or have visited a location of interest are being urged to get tested. People can be tested at their General Practice – you need to call before you turn up for a test – or…
Supermarkets put COVID jabs on Cantabrians’ shopping lists
Like a COVID-19 vaccine with your groceries? The push to increase Canterbury’s COVID-19 vaccination rates is continuing with PAK’n SAVE Wainoni and New World Ferry Road set to make receiving a vaccine even more accessible. Both supermarkets have teamed up with Canterbury DHB’s vaccination team to host community clinics in their car parks on the…
COVID cases in Christchurch highlight need to get vaccinated
Confirmation of two COVID-19 cases in Christchurch is a stark reminder of why people need to follow the public health guidelines and get vaccinated, says Mayor Lianne Dalziel. “The mantra is wear masks, use QR Codes, get a test if you’re not feeling well and get vaccinated. “Unfortunately we knew it was only going to…
Not another COVID eviction story – contested spaces in Christchurch Central City
Not another COVID eviction story – contested spaces in Christchurch Central City University of Canterbury’s School of Earth and Environment lecturer Lindsey Conrow discusses the Tarāpuka | Black-billed gulls and their contention with urban developers over an Armagh Street site in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Tarāpuka pair contemplating the continued suitability of the Armagh Street site While…
Essential services to continue through COVID lockdown
Essential services will continue to be provided across Christchurch and Banks Peninsula in Alert Level 4 but all Christchurch City Council-owned public facilities will be closed. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced that the entire country will move to COVID-19 Alert Level 4 from 11.59pm tonight for at least three days. Auckland and the Coromandel area…
Phased border reopening, faster vaccination, be ready for Delta: Jacinda Ardern lays out NZ’s COVID roadmap
Phased border reopening, faster vaccination, be ready for Delta: Jacinda Ardern lays out NZ’s COVID roadmap Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has released a “roadmap” for a phased process of border reopenings that could begin during the first quarter of next year — as long as New Zealand completes its vaccination rollout by the end of…
NZ’s Covid success wins interest from world’s entrepreneurs
NZ’s Covid success wins interest from world’s entrepreneurs Business owners around the world are keen to learn from the way New Zealand has handled the Covid-19 crisis, a University of Canterbury (UC) academic says. University of Canterbury Business Professor Jamie Collins says entrepreneurs around the world are interested in the way New Zealand has handled…
COVID breath-testing – could it be next? New NZ research says yes!
COVID breath-testing – could it be next? New NZ research says yes! Anyone who’s experienced a sharp swab up the nose and a tense, isolated wait for results will surely be interested in a pain-free COVID test with a speedy result delivered in minutes, not days. From left: University of Canterbury researchers postdoctoral fellow Dr…
Pop up Covid testing tomorrow at Princess Margaret Hospital car park
A pop up Covid-19 testing centre will be open tomorrow, Wednesday 4 November, from 11.30am until 4.30pm in The Princess Margaret Hospital car park. Anyone who is concerned about the recently reported positive cases in Christchurch and thinks they may have been a contact of a case is welcome to attend – no appointment necessary…
More than 3500 Canterbury businesses accessed Covid related support
Gary and Karen Manning opened award-winning The Dubliner Irish pub in Methven in 2014. The initial shock of COVID-19 was considerable, with patronage disappearing overnight. “We had to close of course, so there was no business whatsoever,” Gary Manning said. Through Level 3 their business was down 75 per cent and was still down 25…
What Christchurch can do to Pull Through the Effects of COVID
ChristchurchNZ and its partners have facilitated COVID-19-related support services for thousands of businesses who sought it and continue to do so. We launched a hugely significant domestic tourism campaign and have attracted a range of major events to drive both local and visitor spending. Along with this immediate work, we appreciate how vital it is…
Covid forces ATT awards to go virtual as spotlight shines on apprenticeships
The annual graduation and award ceremony for ATT, one of New Zealand’s largest apprenticeship organisations, has gone virtual this year to celebrate the achievements of 89 apprentices across the country. The event was delivered virtually to an audience of host businesses, and family and friends of each graduating and award winning apprentice plumber, electrician, gas-fitter…
‘Hawke’s Bay DHB lab coping well processing the region’s COVID swabs’
Hawke’s Bay Hospital’s Laboratory is coping well processing the region’s COVID swabs, Head of Microbiology Neil Campbell, said today. In the past week the hospital lab had processed close to 3000 swabs sent in from the region’s community testing centres. No-one has yet returned a positive result. Mr Campbell said the laboratory’s ability to process…
‘Risk of COVID eclipsing climate change action?’ – Massey University
The impact of Antarctic ice sheet collapse caused by increasing carbon emissions is among climate change threats Professor Bruce Glavovic has been researching (photo credit/NOAA-Unsplash). From Antarctic ice sheet collapse to Whanganui river flooding – there’s not much in the sphere of climate change impacts Professor Bruce Glavovic hasn’t explored as a contributing writer/editor on…
COVID Tracer sign-in at all Council facilities
People visiting all Christchurch City Council facilities from noon today will be required to sign in using the national COVID Tracer app and scanning the QR code. For those people who do not have a smartphone, a sign-in register will be available on entry. While the Council’s public facilities will remain open under COVID-19 Alert…
Call to avoid peak travel times on buses
Bus passengers are being urged to avoid travelling at peak times following the move to Alert Level 2 from noon today. Environment Canterbury senior manager, public transport, Stewart Gibbon says that the regular bus timetables will continue to operate but the network’s urban service capacity will be limited, particularly at peak times. “We are asking…
Emergency nurses warn against Covid complacency
Emergency nurses warn against Covid complacency UC health lecturer and Chair of the College of Emergency Nurses New Zealand, Sandy Richardson, is warning that we cannot get complacent about Covid-19. Richardson told TVNZ’s Breakfast programme that emergency nurses are worried about a second wave and that New Zealanders are no longer practising Covid-19 measures such…
Council rates balance COVID recovery and environment priorities
Council rates balance COVID recovery and environment priorities Today, our Council formally adopted the 2020/21 Annual Plan (PDF File, 19.33MB) and set the rates for the coming year (1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021). Council strike rates Council will increase its total rates revenue by 4% in the 2020/21 financial year. This is 5.8% less than…