Scammers have been making the most of Covid-19 by preying on people’s fear and doubt. Here are some calling cards of the con artists. With most New Zealanders tucked up at home, digital devices are proving to be critical tools for staying connected with each other. However, this dependence is providing an avenue for those … Read more
As New Zealand adjusts to a month of lockdown, many pet owners have questions about their furry friends. Alex Casey had a chat with the SPCA – here’s what she learned. AC: My cat had a disgusting abscess on his tail and now has to get his stitches out. Can I still take him to … Read more
Books editor Catherine Woulfe takes an energising walk around the lockdown block of New Zealand books. When the bubbles settled over us they settled over the books too. Libraries were the first to shut down, then the physical bookstores and finally, the hammer blow: online sales and indeed any notion of benevolently posting books about … Read more
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level four. The country is shut down, apart from essential services. For updated official government advice, see here. The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is funded by The Spinoff Members. To support this work, join The Spinoff Members here. … Read more
Danyl McLauchlan writes about strange energy of preparing for level four, and the narrow new life which has emerged in the shadow of Covid-19. We start by setting up our home workspaces, covering the kitchen table with such a thick mass of black cables and USB hubs that the table itself is barely visible. I … Read more
There’s been a lot of talk about PPE of late – do we have enough, is it getting to the right people, and who exactly are the right people, anyway? Here’s the latest official advice. The Ministry of Health has now circulated updated advice on the appropriate use of PPE (personal protective equipment) for both … Read more
A month ago, not many had heard of Ashley Bloomfield. But as the Covid-19 response has ramped up, the director-general of health has become a calm, reassuring presence in a time of uncertainty and fear. Rachel Thomas profiles him, in a piece first published on RNZ. Today, Saturday, director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield is … Read more
By now, everybody should know about staying in their bubble and leaving the house only for essential services and exercise, provided social distancing rules are followed. Does this mean people can still take the boat out, or go surfing? “Staying at home will save lives,” said Jacinda Ardern in a question and answer session she … Read more
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level four. The country is shut down, apart from essential services. For updated official government advice, see here. The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is funded by The Spinoff Members. To support this work, join The Spinoff Members here. … Read more
As New Zealand adjusts to our new normal, one thing from the old world remains – commercial breakfast radio. We tuned into the first morning of lockdown on the airwaves. In a time when the world seems completely upside-down, you can thankfully still count on commercial breakfast radio to be there for you, bright and … Read more
Just a tiny handful of print publications will continue through the lockdown, with only daily newspapers specifically identified as being able to continue. Duncan Greive spoke to publishers of magazines and community newspapers about the impact on them and their communities. Publishers of magazines and community newspapers are reeling, after a ruling from their regulators … Read more
In our new series The Lockdown Letters, some of New Zealand’s best writers tell us what they’ve been up to in the days of Covid-19 alert level four. Today, political commentator and essayist Morgan Godfery. I’M TWEETING AT 2AM. The responsible part of my brain is sending sleep signals. Inconvenient yawns. The first. The second … Read more
As New Zealand entered national lockdown, The Spinoff commissioned social media polling company Stickybeak to measure the mood of the nation. Stickybeak co-founder David Brain reveals what the poll results show. As soon as prime minister Jacinda Ardern made her Monday afternoon announcement that the country was going to alert level three and then to … Read more
The Fold podcast returns for March into a media world transformed by the impact of Covid-19. Host Duncan Greive records a monopod to assess its impact. In last month’s edition of this podcast, The Spinoff editor Toby Manhire and I discussed RNZ’s Concert debacle. At the time, it was the biggest story in media; now … Read more
Alert level four is on. Now let’s talk about the lag. Siouxsie Wiles explains, with illustrations by Toby Morris. Read Toby Morris’s new Side Eye comic, created with Siouxsie Wiles, here. And more of Siouxsie’s writing here. Just before midnight on Wednesday March 25, Aotearoa New Zealand entered a countrywide alert level four lockdown. For … Read more
Amanda Thompson pulls her socks up, makes do and gets on with it. Cakes in a time of crisis are an excellent idea, as long as your current crisis is an entirely food-scarcity-free one. Baking is so calming and mindful, we know. If you’ve always wanted the time to really commit to learning how to … Read more
Already over $2.7bn has been paid out to New Zealand businesses and their employees under the government’s wage subsidy scheme. We take a look at how it works and how to know if you’re eligible. This article has been updated to reflect changes to the wage subsidy scheme announced on March 27 and March 28. … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he talks to Dr Michelle Dickinson (Nanogirl) about how her new online learning platform and how it will work during the … Read more
Today The Spinoff launches a new series, The Lockdown Letters, in which some of New Zealand’s best writers tell us what they’ve been up to in the days of Covid-19 alert level four. First, poet, essayist and Spinoff Friday Poem editor Ashleigh Young. I want to know how far I can ride my bike, so … Read more
Since the country has been told to Unite against Covid-19, many people have been putting their hands up in an effort to help out. But how? Here’s a guide to which organisations have the capabilities to put your energy to good use, and what practical steps you can take to support the community. Important note … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Covid case numbers rise again, modelling shows the toll taking no action could have had, and warnings of logistical crunch at ports. As the number of cases of Covid-19 rises into the hundreds, clusters are starting to emerge. There are now 283 cases, with seven people … Read more
They’re not getting paid extra, they miss their families and they’re tired of people losing it over yoghurt. Leonie Hayden talks to a supermarket checkout manager about the craziest time of her career. Rosie* is the checkout manager for one of the large supermarket chains in a medium-sized New Zealand city. She calls her team … Read more
Medical centres around the country have been instructed to reduce the number of in-person consultations they conduct by 70%. Toby Hills, a doctor based in Porirua, explains the rationale behind this and what the public can do to support our primary care system. Even during a pandemic, humans still get sick for other reasons. Appendixes … Read more
On Tuesday, Creative New Zealand announced the details of their $16 million Emergency Response Package addressing the impacts of Covid-19. Here are the specifics of it, along with some added clarity from CNZ CEO Stephen Wainwright. Over the past two weeks, the arts community has been devastated by Covid-19. Shows, gigs, exhibitions, and concerts have … Read more
With Covid-19 causing major downturns and worried investors wondering what to do next, Kiwi Wealth’s head of fixed interest shares her thoughts and experience on how to get through these challenging times. From the City of London to New York’s Wall Street, Diana Gordon has worked at the frontlines of global investing for more than … Read more
As of midnight last night, the country is in lockdown. The rules are: stay in your bubble for the next four weeks. But what is my bubble and how far can I stretch it? At 6.30pm on Wednesday, New Zealanders shared a collective shriek when all our phones went nuts with an emergency alarm. It … Read more
Want to avoid Covid-19? Skip the high dose vitamin C, and take a moment to learn about the statistical modelling that helps us understand how diseases spread. Shaun Hendy explains. Infectious diseases like Covid-19 spread from person to person. If, on average, every person who gets it goes on to infect two other people, then … Read more
In an effort to contain the spread of Covid-19, New Zealand has officially gone into lockdown. With people instructed to stay at home, streets, parks, playgrounds and roads have rarely been so empty. Here, we present a selection of the best images (Note: All photos were taken while practising physical distancing) For the must-know rules … Read more
Government mistrust, confused messaging and fear have blighted the UK’s approach to the pandemic, says Jai Breitnauer, who recently departed NZ to move home to Britain. Stay home, stay safe, protect the NHS. That was the official text I got on my phone this morning, 24th March 2020, after an incredible 10 days of panic … Read more