UPDATE March 20: Auckland Museum, Auckland Art Gallery and Te Papa in Wellington today announced they are closing their doors from tonight for at least two weeks. Many other galleries and museums remain open for now, but people should check the website before visiting, as the situation is changing fast. Right now, all public galleries … Read more
In these times of social distancing, we’re going to have to accept that things are going to get awkward, writes Pallas Hupé Cotter. I have friends who are huggers, and people who know me know that I’m a hugger. I even sign off emails with “Hugs, Pallas.” So it’s hard for me to be able … Read more
Throughout the day rumours have swept the country that NZ is on the brink of a lockdown. This afternoon, Jacinda Ardern has addressed them. The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has urged New Zealanders to beware rumours circulating online. “This is not unique to New Zealand. In the midst of what is a global issue, as … 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 business coach Zac De Silva from Business Changing and Nurture Change. Please note: This episode was recorded Tuesday … Read more
From hygiene and ventilation through to seizing the educational moment, there are some basic steps worth taking, writes Dr Mike Bedford, a specialist in health and wellbeing in early childhood education settings. The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is funded by Spinoff Members. To support this work, join Spinoff Members here. Hygiene – get the … Read more
Britain has changed course in the fight against Covid-19, after originally following an approach with significant scientific defects. Gary McLean, a New Zealand professor in molecular immunology and infectious diseases specialist at London Metropolitan University, explains. More than 200,000 people are now laboratory-confirmed cases of Covid-19, across 157 countries. Tragically, almost 9,000 people have succumbed … Read more
We can look to people with chronic health conditions for ideas on how to survive – and even thrive – in self-isolation at home, writes Louise Thornley. Lady Gaga told the world in 2017 that she suffers from fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition. Affected by severe pain, fatigue, sleep problems and depression, her health has … Read more
Alex Casey talks to six women about how social distancing and Covid-19 is impacting their contact-based industries, from sex work to beauty therapy. The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is funded by Spinoff Members. To support this work, join Spinoff Members here. Social distancing is one of the most important tools we have to prevent … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Suspected case of Covid-19 in Samoa, MFAT urges NZers overseas to come home, and aviation support package to be announced today. A suspected case of Covid-19 is currently being tested in Samoa, bringing to light concerns that the coronavirus could be devastating in the Pacific. Stuff reports … Read more
Nowhere will the reality of Covid-19 be felt more acutely than our hospital ICUs. Dr David Galler on the mood at the front line. Intensive Care is a glass half full specialty and I am a glass half full person. That helps a lot when matters out of our immediate control are thrust upon us. … Read more
Widespread community transmission of Covid-19 would be calamitous in the Pacific Islands, where health infrastructure is limited. What steps are they taking to fend it off? The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is funded by Spinoff Members. To support this work, join Spinoff Members here. Update 19/03, 2:45pm: Fiji has confirmed its first case of … Read more
On Monday, the government warned that tourists could be deported or detained if they failed to self-isolate on arrival. One problem for all those who want to comply by the rules: there aren’t many places they can do so. The Spinoff’s coverage of Covid-19 is funded by Spinoff Members. To support this work, join Spinoff Members … Read more
You don’t have to be a business with employees to apply for the government’s wage subsidy. That’s good news for more than 380,000 of us. Updated: an expansion to the Wage Subsidy Scheme was announced on March 23 along with the announcement that New Zealand would go into lock down for four weeks. The details … Read more
Māori have fared worst in every pandemic New Zealand has seen. Measures must be taken to ensure equity during the Covid-19 outbreak or history will repeat, writes public health physician and senior lecturer Dr Rhys Jones. Covid-19 is about to hit Aotearoa in earnest. The New Zealand government’s response to date has generally been received … Read more
Dr Sarb Johal is a specialist in the psychology of disaster recovery and pandemics. He also works from home. Here he shares what he’s learned. You may be a seasoned veteran of working from home, or you may be a complete newb to this and don’t really know where to start. Thanks to Covid-19, and … Read more
Social media giant Facebook has banned a large number of trusted media outlets for posting ‘inappropriate content’. See update at the foot. The Spinoff has seen all current Facebook links removed from feeds, tagged as ‘inappropriate content’ or violating ‘community standards’, at the height of the Covid-19 epidemic. This appears to be impacting news organisations worldwide, … Read more
Andrew Geddis explores the legal issues around a possible postponement to the election date. There’s a lot we don’t yet know about how Covid-19 will impact us here in Aotearoa New Zealand. But the advice from experts – massive respect, as we used to say back in the day, to Siouxsie Wiles and her fellow … Read more
Alice Webb-Liddall speaks to RNZ business editor Gyles Beckford about the language of markets and economics in relation to Covid-19. Let me start by saying I am in no way a business journalist. I enjoy having money but the technicalities of how it works both before and after it’s in my bank account are mysterious … Read more
Rolling updates on the Covid-19 outbreak for March 18 as they happen, by Spinoff writers. The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is funded by Spinoff Members. To support this work, join Spinoff Members here. 7.40pm: Possible Covid-19 case in Samoa Samoa is currently testing a person suspected of being the country’s first Covid-19 case. The … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Dunedin school to close and clean after positive Covid-19 test, massive economic rescue package announced, and tourists who didn’t self-isolate facing deportation. There are now 12 confirmed Covid-19 patients in New Zealand. The latest confirmed case is a student at Logan Park High School in Dunedin, … Read more
How the process runs, why we’re not testing everyone who feels ill, and something you can do online immediately and easily to help the fight against the virus. The Spinoff’s coverage of Covid-19 is funded by Spinoff Members. To support this work, join Spinoff Members here. With confirmed cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand up to … Read more
The government has announced a huge $12bn economic plan aimed at cushioning the impact of Covid-19 on New Zealand workers and the wider economy. We asked a range of commentators for their reaction. Arthur Grimes: NZ’s history of fiscal surpluses might just save the day The Covid-19 pandemic is the biggest economic shock to hit … Read more
The government is spending $12.1 billion to counter the Covid-19 crisis. Where is the money being targeted? Here are the essentials. What’s all this then? With recession bearing down on the country, and a large numbers of jobs at risk of being lost, the government has ploughed billions of dollars into the economy. The main … Read more
For those of us not in self-isolation, social distancing is one of the ways we can stop the spread of Covid-19. This is how to do it. The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is funded by Spinoff Members. To support this work, join Spinoff Members here. Why do I need to be distant from … Read more
The response to coronavirus should give us hope that we are able to tackle climate change, writes behavioural scientist David Comerford. Coronavirus has disrupted everyday life throughout the world through travel bans, flight restrictions and the cancellation of sporting and cultural events. More than 10 million Italians have been banned from travelling, and all public … Read more
When people feel like they have no control over their lives – like in the midst of a global pandemic – the comforting certainty of conspiracy theories seems increasingly attractive. Today I fell down a rabbit hole of rabid Trump supporters who are convinced Covid-19 is both a hoax and also Trump’s greatest moment as … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: New guidelines on gatherings and social distancing announced, OCR slashed ahead of fiscal stimulus, and Air NZ facing crushing losses. Gatherings of 500 or more people have been banned in the latest round of measures aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19. It has meant the … Read more
Tourism and hospitality industries are buckling under the weight of the Covid-19 response. With the government set to announce a relief package, small businesses on Auckland’s Dominion Road describe just how needed it is. At a small travel brokerage on Dominion Road, five or six staff members sit at their desks taking calls. The phone … Read more
Rolling updates as they happen, by Spinoff writers. The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is funded by Spinoff Members. To support this work, join Spinoff Members here. New updates: To read new updates for Tuesday March 17, please join us here. 9pm That’s a wrap for today. We’ll be back up and running from 7am … Read more