Covid-19: down to L2 Thursday

Written By: - Date published: 4:37 pm, May 11th, 2020 - 44 comments
Categories: covid-19, health, health and safety, jacinda ardern - Tags:

In the ongoing press conference (RNZ):

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced a staggered move into level 2 starting on Thursday, with schools and bars reopening later and groups limited to 10 people.

and

She said retail, malls, cafes, restaurants, cinemas and other public spaces including playgrounds and gyms would be able to reopen on Thursday, 14 May.

Schools would return to normal classes from Monday 18 May, while bars would have to wait until Thursday 21 to reopen.

Ardern clarified that bars would be distinguished from restaurants by using the Easter trading regulations.

She warned that groupings would also be restricted to just 10 people.

“Why 10? simple. If something goes wrong, that’s much easier to contain, much easier to contact trace.”

This limit would apply to parties at home, stag and hen parties, weddings, funerals and group bookings at restaurants or bars.

and

Dr Bloomfield confirmed there would not be a requirement for people to wear masks in day to day living.

Regional travel allowed. Just no large groups.

44 comments on “Covid-19: down to L2 Thursday ”

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  1. Rosemary McDonald 1
    11 May 2020 at 4:52 pm

    Some expert is waffling on to Wallace atm about how it is laughable to think we'll go back to manufacturing in NZ. 'Never happen.'

    Such a pity Business is determined on BAU.

    • weka 1.1
      11 May 2020 at 5:56 pm

      we still make things in NZ though.

    • David Mac 1.2
      11 May 2020 at 9:43 pm

      Is it too soon to seek copyright on the trademark 'Not made in China'?

      Things are made piece-meal now. One factory in China specialises in making electric window drives for all makes of car and another makes 2000 different wiper blades for every manufacturer in the world. There is nothing stopping us from sinking $ into R and D re: making alloy wheels for the world and Ghana becoming the world authority and manufacturer of airbags.

      We've given it all to a govt that doesn't represent the will of their people and have pulled down our pants and lashed us over a barrel.

      I think we need to start servicing the world's needs amongst ourselves asap.

      Create a climate that favours the beautiful, wise and industious Chinese people claiming their lives back.

  2. mac1 2
    11 May 2020 at 5:12 pm

    The PM made the point that the government has been in discussions with the hospitality industry and trusts that industry will know what is required of it, and comply.

    The consequence of not observing this will be reversion back to more restricted levels, as happened in South Korea, where the pubs were closed after just one pub goer brought an infection to 40 people and caused 1500 tests to be carried out.

    It's definitely in the interests of publicans, staff and pub-goers alike to keep to the expectations.

    I thought the PM was clear and confident in her presentation.

    • observer 2.1
      11 May 2020 at 5:21 pm

      Kiwis should stand up for their right to have a pissed-up punch-up. In face masks, at a 2 metre distance.

    • ianmac 2.2
      11 May 2020 at 5:28 pm

      Nah mac1. We are in the throes of a serious crisis and yet we have to put up with a hopeless shambles. Why can't that woman answer the questions properly and try and get at least one thing right. If she had stepped aside and given the job to Simon Bridges we would have been saved from disaster! 😡 (Sarc)

  3. Gabby 3
    11 May 2020 at 5:29 pm

    Slick Bodges claiming credit and slamming the moderatness in 3…2…1…

  4. Sanctuary 4
    11 May 2020 at 5:37 pm

    Press gallery first question is a loaded and misogynistic: "You DO realise that is a kick in the guts for hospitality…"

    Also Press gallery: "Take us seriously!"

    Also Press gallery: "Why does everyone hate us?"

    • millsy 4.1
      11 May 2020 at 5:44 pm

      Also Press gallery: "We want tax cuts yesterday!"

    • Treetop 4.2
      11 May 2020 at 7:14 pm

      It is going to be a real kick in the guts if you get infected with Covid-19 from drinking in a bar.

      Did the Press gallery ask how long the bar would need to close if a case?

      Bars are like a under 2 day care. Lots of spit, drooling and tears.

      • Ken 4.2.1
        11 May 2020 at 8:10 pm

        The press are too busy trying for a "gotcha" moment to ask sensible questions.

        • David Mac 4.2.1.1
          11 May 2020 at 10:26 pm

          News these days is click driven. We get what we click for.

          When I visualise a zoom meeting between a news team I imagine it going like this…

          Editor: "I don't know how you've done it team but in the last 40 days you have created 1057 stories that relate to covid-19 and they have been more popular than anything we have done since we went online. My question to you my beauties is: "What form will our 1058th story take?"

          Reporter: "I bet Sir Bob Jones is stewing boss, how about I poke a stick in his cage?"

  5. Fireblade 5
    11 May 2020 at 5:42 pm

    I'm waiting for Simon to say we should have gone straight to Level 1.

  6. millsy 6
    11 May 2020 at 5:44 pm

    I think the govt. would have prefferred to have us in L3 for another week, but, it would have been too much for #nzpol twitter, and the rednecks, so this is sort of a compromise.

    Some of the older posters on here would remember the need to run a car on a cold morning for about 5-10 mins to warm it up before driving off. This approach is the same, warming up the car before taking off, so it doesnt stall out.

    Myself, Im looking to go to the barber’s to get my unruly mop sheared off, and a new wardrobe, among other things.

  7. bill 7
    11 May 2020 at 7:53 pm

    Am I the only one sensing we might have dodged a bullet only to rush back into its path?

    • Pat 7.1
      11 May 2020 at 7:55 pm

      nope

    • RedLogix 7.2
      11 May 2020 at 9:38 pm

      The honest answer is "I don't know".

      There is very real potential for the numbers to go unstable again.

      South Korea was celebrating. COVID-19 was down for the count. Businesses were back. Bars were open. But it took just one unwitting party animal to wreck it all.

      The virus behind the global pandemic is highly contagious.

      A dramatic “superspreader” event in Seoul has reminded us of that.

      And it’s a warning of what lies ahead as Australia begins to relax its lockdown.

      Just days after reopening its 2100 nightclubs and bars, the capital of South Korea has ordered them to close once again. Almost 6000 venues in the surrounding province also are shuttered.

      The message really has to be conveyed that dropping to Level 2 is actually a more difficult and dangerous phase that demands higher standards of hygiene and distancing. I've been wearing a face mask in high risk situations until now, but from here on in it's going on anytime I'm out of the house.

      This is far from over, it's only just beginning.

    • AB 7.3
      11 May 2020 at 10:07 pm

      We might be – but we can't be certain. It's a risk that I hope the epidemiologists have some sensible way of evaluating, rather than my ignorant reckons.

      I've been interested though, in how going to Level 2 has been characterised as 'freedom'. I found myself wanting to argue that Level 4 lock-down created more freedom than it removed. It created freedom from the fear of catching a potentially deadly disease, while removing freedom of movement. I'm not sure many people actually see this, or would describe it in such terms. For me personally it also created a temporary freedom from work and freedom from being at the behest of others. My sense is that we need to bring this broader vision of freedom as the absence of insecurity and domination, into our thinking about what economies are for.

      • David Mac 7.3.1
        11 May 2020 at 10:48 pm

        Yep, just beginning, but collectively we've arranged to go forward holding an ace and a king.

        Those nations with states and territories appear to have struggled more. It is a natural motivation for a politician to politically distance from decisions that might kill people.

        eg: Trump. Put the decision to open up in the hands of the State Governors. If it turns to shite Trump: "I'm on the record stating Governor Kemp was moving too fast." If it goes well Governor Kemp will have the co-ordinated effort from the Whitehouse to thank.

        Here. The buck stops with Cindy. Get it right, cream it at the booths in a few month's time. Get it wrong, roll out the red carpet for Simon.

        • Bearded Git 7.3.1.1
          12 May 2020 at 5:50 am

          At least we haven't got 100,000 people flying in every week like the UK. Gives us a good chance.

          Boris's tactic in the UK, where testing and quarantining of people arriving at airports will supposedly happen soon but hasn’t happened to date, is laughable.

          There is a health expert they have on the Colin Murray chat show on Radio 5 in the UK regularly who keeps arguing that testing and quarantining at airports is a waste of time until Covid numbers have fallen in the UK and Murray, the chat show host, simply accepts it. It's patently wrong and slightly weird-it's like pro-Boris propaganda.

      • David Mac 7.3.2
        11 May 2020 at 11:17 pm

        I think the rock-star country of the Covid thing has been Taiwan.

        They tried to warn the world. WHO told them to fuck-off.

        They're a few 100 kms from Wuhan, daily traffic with those folk. They slammed Covid without treating people like CCP citizens.

        I think the world should be looking for assistance from them and Dr Tedros should give up his WHO boss chair for the Taiwanese Vice President, an epidemiologist of note.

        The guy has a permanent smile.

    • swordfish 7.4
      12 May 2020 at 1:07 am

      Spot on. We're essentially The Maximalists … doing everything we can to prevent The Minimalists snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

  8. Koff 8
    11 May 2020 at 8:34 pm

    Guess that if L2 leads to a resurgence in the virus, Simon and his merry band of halfwits will be saying to the government "Told you!. You should have been more cautious. We said you should have stayed at level 3/ 4 for longer. Look at Australia. They are so much more cautious!"

  9. ScottGN 9
    11 May 2020 at 8:53 pm

    Mods – any chance when we go to Level 2 we can have Daily Review back? It’s quite nice to draw the line on Open Mike at about 5pm and move to a fresh slate.

  10. observer 10
    11 May 2020 at 9:05 pm

    I've said before that Ardern's political skills are underestimated, by opponents (obviously) but also some fans (empathy, hugs, as if "nice" was enough).

    At the press conference today she used Ashley Bloomfield quite ruthlessly. She said he had wanted a longer delay to bars re-opening, but Cabinet (i.e. Ardern) rejected that.

    You never see a PM do that. Stand next to a top official and say (in effect) "I over-ruled you". You'd expect her to keep any disagreements behind closed doors. But it made the one week delay look more reasonable, which was the political aim. Cleverly done.

    • Pat 10.1
      11 May 2020 at 9:41 pm

      and pre agreed

    • David Mac 10.2
      12 May 2020 at 1:22 am

      Did your wife give you that name? I think you have a point but it's like one of those 837 earthquakes that NZ gets every day.

      Nothing is more important than our health and the health of our loved ones, extending out to the health of all of us here. People, it's people and the love we share that matters.

      I don't think Jacinda's life coach has steered her towards fabricating an illusion of caring about people. Nobody can fake that for long.

      When you have a child you can't help but visualise a wonderful world for them to live in…. Viva le Neve

      • observer 10.2.1
        12 May 2020 at 5:58 am

        I'm wondering if you put this in the right place, because I can't see how it relates to my comment at all.

    • Treetop 10.3
      12 May 2020 at 9:27 am

      A week is a long time in politics. It will be interesting to see how many bars who do not serve food will reopen and if hours will be shortened.

      I have not heard if gaming venues will operate from bars at level 2. Social distancing would need to happen and constant cleaning.

      I can see that a business has a greater chance of surviving if they serve a meal. People who have lost jobs will reduce bar price drinks and might just order a main meal.

      The hospitality industry is going to take a big hit as they rely on people to be physically present and to spend generously.

      It was a cabinet decision re the bars opening.

  11. ianmac 11
    11 May 2020 at 11:05 pm

    I thought it was Ashley who brought the subject up?

    • Treetop 11.1
      12 May 2020 at 9:57 am

      Are you talking about bars opening?

      MoH wanted a 2 week delay. Cabinet settled for 10 days.

      As for the no more than 10 in a group booking I am not sure who decided this.

      Who is going to be the bar police is what I want to know and what will a bar be shut down for?

      Going to a bar sounds like sit down 2 metres apart from a person not in your group, you are number 21 and yell across the room if you want to chat to anyone not in your group of up to 10.

      As for going to the toliet there is not always soap or toliet paper. I heard bookings can only be for a 2 hour period if buying a meal, this will cut down the use of needing a toliet if just having a meal but not in a bar. As well there is no sport to watch while seated at the bar.

  12. bill 12
    12 May 2020 at 11:38 am

    Is anyone hereabouts planning to rush down to the local mall come Thursday?

    Anyone with school age children hereabouts happy to send them off to school next Monday?

    Anyone planning to catch up at the local pub/bar next Thursday?

    And of those who apparently have to return to their job this week, are you okay with that?

    While those who are working from home, you pressuring the boss to open the office any time soon?

    I sincerely hope this is a case of "open it up" and "no-one came".

    NZ followed smack in the middle of the herd when it came to lock-down (was merely lucky the incidence of infection was trailing that of other countries) and is following smack in middle of the herd in opening up. Many countries giving it a punt out of desperation are going to go three steps backwards very soon. NZ did not need to expose us to their same high risk re-opening. NZ could have waited.

    • Treetop 12.1
      12 May 2020 at 12:51 pm

      Q1. I need winter clothing and will only buy new foot wear.

      Q2. A bit jittery about the gran kids passing the virus onto me but will chance it for now.

      Q3. I will avoid the bars and eating out but will look out to see how busy they are.

      For those where employment is uncertain this is not an easy thing to be going through.

      NZ has been running in the middle of the herd. It will be interesting to see how international travel goes down the track.

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