In a surprise move this morning, the Reserve Bank has slashed the Official Cash Rate to just 0.25%, down from 1%. So what does that mean for you, and why has it happened now? Just quickly – what is the official cash rate? The OCR is the interest rate at which the Reserve Bank lends … Read more
Amid an outbreak such as the coronavirus Covid-19, the challenge to get people washing their hands properly takes on even greater importance. It’s harder than you might imagine, but we can all do it, especially if we start forming collective habits, writes Dr Sarb Johal, an expert in the psychology of disaster recovery and pandemics. … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: New travel restrictions make Covid-19 recession all but certain, further cases of the virus confirmed, and March 15 commemoration called off. Major new travel restrictions were announced over the weekend, making a recession this year all but certain to happen. Toby Manhire has put together the essential … Read more
Both the outbreak and the measures put in place to staunch it are already having a major impact on New Zealand businesses. It won’t solve all your problems, but amid the maelstrom you can introduce some simple practical measures for health and infection control, writes former public health worker Richard Simpson. How do you plan … Read more
Think of the coronavirus pandemic as a bunch of fires erupting around the world. Drastic action is required, and that’s why firebreaks are urgent, writes Siouxsie Wiles. The Spinoff’s coverage of Covid-19 is funded by Spinoff Members. To support this work, join Spinoff Members here. Read more from Siouxsie Wiles here. Dear fellow people of … Read more
Under new, sweeping travel restrictions, pretty much everyone arriving in New Zealand from Monday must undertake a fortnight of self-isolation. Here’s what that involves. The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is funded by Spinoff Members. To support this work, join Spinoff Members here. Who needs to self-isolate? When the clock strikes 12 on Sunday night, … Read more
Siouxsie Wiles on the contrasting responses by leaders in the US, Britain and New Zealand. The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is funded by Spinoff Members. To support this work, join Spinoff Members here. It’s been a whirlwind few days on the Covid-19 front. The biggest headline of today was Jacinda Ardern’s announcement of a … Read more
With the exception of arrivals from the Pacific islands, those coming from every country in the world will be required to self-isolate for a fortnight. It follows the cancellation of the remembrance service scheduled for tomorrow in Christchurch and confirmation of a sixth positive Covid-19 case in New Zealand, a man who had been in … Read more
What’s your automatic inclination when you wake up feeling under the weather? If you’re anything like Catherine Jeffcoat, you just keep on going. And that’s a problem. Tuesday 3 March 2020: Day minus 02 “Oh by the way, I’ve got a bit of a sniffle”, she said. “I’ll be fine”, I text back, “I … Read more
We must act quickly, with no half-measures. Dr Siouxsie Wiles explains why, with illustrations by Toby Morris. The Spinoff’s ongoing expert-led, evidence-based coverage of Covid-19 is funded by Spinoff Members. To support this work, join Spinoff Members here. Spinoff cartoonist Toby Morris and I recently introduced you to the concept of #FlattenTheCurve. Now we want to … Read more
As the pandemic escalates, New Zealand’s already-struggling restaurants and bars are wondering how they’ll get through. The New Zealand hospitality industry is bracing itself as the coronavirus pandemic continues to escalate. Chinese restaurants have been hit hardest, with many entering their second month of seeing business down by up to 50%. But now, in the … Read more
The spread of misinformation about Covid-19 seems greater than the spread of the infection itself. But what’s the best way to tackle these if they come up in everyday conversation? Is it best to ignore them, jump in to correct them, or are there other strategies we could all use? Public health officials expect misinformation … Read more
Siouxsie Wiles offers some context around a couple of new studies on the coronavirus. Two new studies relating to Covid-19 studies have begun circulating online, with some alarming headlines appearing in the media. Let me put them into context for you. The virus is still spread via droplets As I’ve explained before, all data we … Read more
Today marks the sixth consecutive day of no new confirmed cases of Covid-19, but as the severity grows overseas, numerous large-scale public events hang in the balance. Here’s what we know. UPDATE, 14/3: The Christchurch Remembrance Service has been cancelled. UPDATE 15/3: The new self-isolation rules announced yesterday mean that it is likely all events … Read more
It is not a time for panic. It is, however, a time to draw up a pandemic preparedness plan. Where to begin? Siouxsie Wiles to the rescue. The Spinoff’s ongoing expert-led, evidence-based coverage of Covid-19 is funded by Spinoff Members. To support this work, join Spinoff Members here. Now that Covid-19 has officially been declared … Read more
In light of Covid-19’s new pandemic status, the Ministry of Health gave an update this afternoon on New Zealand’s status and measures being taken. For the fifth consecutive day, there have been no new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand. The numbers remain at five confirmed and two probable. Director-general at the Ministry of Health, … Read more
Several major events across the US have also been postponed or cancelled, including the NBA season after a player tests positive. What’s happening? In a televised address from the Oval Office, President Donald Trump has announced that all travel by foreigners from Europe to the United States would be suspended from midnight Friday for the … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Covid-19 officially declared to be a pandemic, abortion clinic Safe Zones stripped from legislation, and Hauraki Gulf under extreme biodiversity pressure. Overnight, the World Health Organisation officially declared that the Covid-19 outbreak has become a pandemic, reports AP News. That’s a term defined as a disease spreading … Read more
Kiwibank’s chief economist Jarrod Kerr looks back to SARS, and into the future, to help make sense of this once-in-a-generation economic storm. Covid-19 has drawn comparisons to the 2003 SARS outbreak, but those who lived through that should know that this is a very different era. Hits to our short-term confidence, business’s supply chains and … Read more
The spectre of the coronavirus Covid-19 has reminded us all of the importance of hand-washing, face-touching and other basic hygiene. And it got Madeleine Chapman wondering: how many things do my hands come into contact with every day? In recording everything I touched over the course of a regular workday, I learned four things. 1. Having … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Lab test worker strike criticised and defended, business confidence slumps, and Porirua emergency housing motel proves controversial. There has been controversy over a strike by laboratory workers this Friday, amid the wider Covid-19 outbreak. Newshub reports that the strike has been planned long in advance – since … Read more
The fear you carry over this virus is the fear those of us who have children with compromised immune systems carry all the time, says Emily Writes. Standing at the empty aisles in Pak n Save a woman turned to me and said – “well great – there’s no hand sanitiser, what am I going … Read more
Passengers arriving from China are not having their temperatures checked at the border, as in some countries. Here the Ministry of Health explains their rationale. While temperature checks have become commonplace across countries such as China and South Korea – together responsible for the vast majority of the almost 110,000 cases reported worldwide – New … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Robertson announces shape of Covid-19 economic response, National grabs matches for regulations bonfire, and land use change laid bare. Cabinet has approved a package of measures designed to take some of the economic pain out of the global Covid-19 outbreak. Around the world right now, markets are … Read more
The price of crude oil is absolutely tanking right now, because supply is being ramped up at a time when demand is unusually low. What’s going on? Here’s a cheat sheet explaining all. What’s all this then? Russia and Saudi Arabia, two incredibly large producers of oil, have basically declared economic war on the rest … Read more
Trying to directly assist individual firms is a fool’s errand. Monetary policy is approaching its limits. We need to look to bigger, aggressive action, writes former Reserve Bank economist Michael Reddell. The economic implications of the Covid-19 public health emergency are formidable, and are growing by the day. Most of what we’ve seen in New … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Predator Free 2050 strategy launched, govt to roll out economic response to Covid-19, and Armed Response Teams in the spotlight. The strategy outlining how New Zealand will become predator-free by 2050 is being launched today. The idea, a vision of the late Sir Paul Callaghan and … Read more
It’s difficult enough caring for coronavirus patients, but when healthcare providers become sick themselves, or are forced into self-quarantine, it becomes even harder to cope. So how is New Zealand preparing for staff shortages in the health system? News that 43 hospital staff have been put into self-quarantine after coming into close contact with a … Read more
How is the coronavirus likely to play out, how does it end, and does our behaviour make a difference? Here infectious diseases expert Dr Siouxsie Wiles walks us through the epidemic curve, with illustrations by Toby Morris. The Spinoff’s ongoing expert-led, evidence-based coverage of Covid-19 is funded by Spinoff Members. To support this work, join … Read more