With New Zealand officially at the halfway mark of the four-week Covid-19 lockdown, the nation’s police officers, health workers and supermarket staff are facing a new problem: being spat on by people claiming to have coronavirus.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says there have been multiple reports of the “completely unacceptable” behaviour, with several police officers now in isolation.
One officer was spat at during a routine traffic stop in Timaru, while a man resisting arrest in Auckland spat on three officers. Police in Rangiora are also looking for a teenage boy who spat in an officer’s face after claiming to have the disease.
Patience is also wearing very thin with those who continue to breach lockdown rules , with another 76 people spoken to by police, 29 of whom are being prosecuted.
Mr Coster says while there may have been early confusion over the rules, the public now knows what’s allowed.
But that didn’t appear to stop the large groups of people seen on Mt Wellington when a fire broke out on the Auckland landmark earlier in the week.
While the cause of the blaze is still not known, authorities were alarmed to see groups of up to 50 people on the mountain.
And if you’re still planning to break the lockdown rules to head to the bach for Easter, the simple message is: Don’t.
Police say they’re ramping up their presence around the country over the long weekend and will be setting up checkpoints at a number of locations, including popular holiday spots.
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Flight Centre shuts 58 shops
Travel agency Flight Centre is shutting 58 stores indefinitely , as it battles to survive the coronavirus crisis.
The business had previously said 33 stores would close temporarily, but they confirmed late yesterday that those shops, plus 25 others, will be shut for good.
Around 300 staff are being stood down temporarily, with the hopes of restoring their roles once demand returns, however another 250 people have been made redundant.
Businesses told to prepare for 'new normal'
Of course, Flight Centre isn’t the only company struggling in Covid-19’s wake.
The epidemic select committee yesterday picked apart the impact of the Government’s response to the virus on various industries, including restaurants, tourism and freight.
Business leader Phil O’Reilly told the committee urgent measures were needed to tackle cashflow problems, while essential service rules needed clarifying .
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern encouraged businesses, essential or not, to prepare for a “new normal” beyond the Level 4 lockdown.
Ms Ardern says all businesses need to think about contact tracing and social distancing, likening the guidelines to new health and safety needs .
And as local industries prepare for that, the UN’s labour organisation has predicted a catastrophic new normal for many others around the world, with estimates of 195 million full-time jobs being lost in the second quarter alone.
International Labour Organisation Guy Ryder says, "These figures speak powerfully for themselves: That the world of work is suffering an absolutely extraordinary fall."
Boost for home-based learning
Schools are also preparing for a new way of operating when term two begins next week.
The Government has announced a raft of measures to allow students to work from home, including options for those without an internet connection.
The $87.7 million emergency funding boost includes more online resources, hard-copy materials and the delivery of devices to students who need them.
The package also includes two new television channels for education-related content. One of these channels will be provided by TVNZ, with beloved children's TV star Suzy Cato confirmed to be involved.
Why NZ’s virus death rate is low
Despite the number of coronavirus cases now surpassing 1200, New Zealand's death rate from the disease remains low compared to other countries .
One epidemiologist puts that down to infections currently being seen in travellers who are young and fit, with limited community spread also a factor.
Fifty new cases of Covid-19 were reported yesterday, the lowest number in a fortnight . An expert modelling the spread of the virus in New Zealand says next week will be crucial in seeing how effective the lockdown has been.
Meanwhile, frontline workers and the elderly have been given an extra two weeks to get their flu jabs, before it’s made available to the wider public.
Issues with availability had seen some people miss out, however another 300,000 vaccines have arrived in addition to the 900,000 already sent out to GPs and pharmacies.
Kiwis trust in Govt response
A new poll has found a huge surge in the trust New Zealanders have in the current Government.
The survey commissioned by Kantar – the parent company of Colmar Brunton – saw the public’s trust jump from 53 per cent to 83 per cent, with 88 per cent of Kiwis trusting the Government to make the right decisions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in particular.
Those figures are much higher than the average found across G7 nations .
Meanwhile, Americans may be feeling worried about their own country’s response to the pandemic, after what CNN described as a day of “chaos and confusion” in President Donald Trump’s administration.
Amongst other things, Mr Trump said yesterday he will “put a hold” on US funding to the World Health Organization, saying “they missed the call” on the Covid-19 outbreak.
Other news of note this morning:
The path's been cleared for Joe Biden to take on President Trump in November's elections after his rival Bernie Sanders dropped out of the race overnight.
Downing Street says UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains in ICU with Covid-19, but is improving.
Roads are flooded and several settlements have been evacuated in Fiji as Cyclone Harold passes over the country.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has pledged more than $1 billion to help tackle the global Covid-19 relief effort.
Dunedin’s Baldwin St has reclaimed its title as the world’s steepest street after Guinness World Records officials reversed their decision to award the honour to Wales’ Ffordd Pen Llech last year.
And if you’re wondering what to cook with the random cans of beans you’ve found in the back of the pantry during lockdown, Nadia Lim is bringing a new cooking show from her bubble to yours from Monday.
And finally...
Dad dancing is well and truly out of control during lockdown. Heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker has released another dance routine, this time with his partner Laine in a recreation of Grease’s You’re The One That I Want , while Seven Sharp crowned their king of the dad dance last night.
If you need a laugh this morning, check out the best (and the otherwise) of the country’s dad dancing here .
But be warned – there are some things you may never unsee.
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