TLDR & TLDL: Cabinet is expected to agree later today to extend Auckland’s level four lockdown for at least two more weeks and allow Aotearoa-NZ below the Bombay Hills to move to level three from tonight.
But the risk of longer and more frequent lockdowns appears to be rising as the infectiousness of delta and our outpaced tracing system collides with our still-very-popular hard elimination strategy.
Lockdown latest
Tighter and slower - Covid case numbers hit a record high 85 yesterday. PM Jacinda Ardern told the 1pm news conference four cases had been transmitted in workplaces operating under level four conditions and the Government was looking at tightening the rules in future. Those measures could reducing the number of workplaces able to open and increasing mask wearing, PPE rules and physical distancing rules.
“Now this may not be a problem with the rules say on the factory floor but what is happening perhaps before and after shifts or even during break times we're looking at all of this in more detail if we need to tighten up our restrictions further we will.” PM Jacinda Ardern at yesterday’s 1pm presser.
Meanwhile, the PM also started talking about dialling back on demand for vaccination bookings because the uptake had been faster than expected and stocks were being run down. Another option is bringing in new supplies of other vaccines.
“I've always said that we are working on strategies so that we're able to maintain the level of vaccination that we have currently. I would say it's not a matter of running out, it's a matter of whether or not we are in a position where we need to have a little less demand than what we're seeing at the moment there are ways that we can manage that but we're not at that point yet and I'll give you more information early next week (now this week.” PM Jacinda Ardern at yesterday’s 1 pm news conference.
But there was good news on the pace of infections. The growth has slowed in recent days and is mostly still linked to household contacts of those infected just before lockdown. Ministry of Health Director General Ashley Bloomfield suggested the key R level was already around 0.8. Epidemiologists said they expected total case numbers to start falling this week, albeit from higher than expected levels.
"The latest modelling I've seen suggests we are getting our effective R rate just below 1, and we need to get it even lower. The key question of course is is level four working and doing what it was intended to do? Absolutely." MoH DG Ashley Bloomfield in yesterday’s 1pm presser.
Parliament reopening in person with 10 MPs
Meanwhile, Ardern said she had agreed reluctantly to restart Parliament in-person tomorrow after the Opposition refused to allow online-only question time.
"I'm disappointed. I am, however, not willing, without the consensus of parties, to individually suspend parliament again." Ardern.
Richard Harman reports at Politik-$$$ this morning from a memo to MPs from Parliament’s Speaker Trevor Mallard that no more than five Labour MPs, three National MPs and one MP each from the Green ACT parties will be allowed in the debating chamber at any one time, alongside Mallard himself. Te Parti Māori said it won’t attend. Labour said it wouldn’t fly any MPs into Wellington. Opposition Leader Judith Collins is expected to fly to Wellington from Auckland.
Earlier, Collins demoted Chris Bishop from his role as Shadow Leader of the House in a front bench reshuffle announced on Saturday. (National)
Elsewhere in Covid news overnight, an Auckland Police staff member in Otāhuhu has tested positive (NZ Herald). A worker at a Sistema factory that was operating during Level 4 tested positive, forcing the plant making plastic containers to close last night for a deep clean. It is due to reopen on Wednesday. (TVNZ)
Scoops and news breaking this morning
Thomas Coughlan reports via NZ Herald this morning the Government may open up the vaccine programme to other vaccines besides Pfizer.
‘The Herald understands the Government's strong preference is for any jabs "swapped" from other countries to be of the Pfizer brand, but it is possible jabs could be of different makes.’ NZ Herald’
Rob Stock reports via Stuff that an IPO for Gull on the NZX may be an option for Ampol to convince the Commerce Commission to allow its takeover bid for Z Energy.
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Dawn Chorus: 'Tighten the lockdown and slow vaccination'