As the UK continues its Covid vaccine rollout, there are growing fears richer countries are hoarding doses while poorer countries miss out.
The People's Vaccine Alliance, a group of organisations dedicated to fair distribution of a Covid-19 vaccine, says nearly 70 low-income countries will only be able to vaccinate a tenth of their population.
Conversely, they say some countries have bought up enough doses to vaccinate all of their citizens nearly three times over.
Organisations including Amnesty International and Oxfam are now urging pharmaceutical companies to share the science behind their vaccines.
Oxford-AstraZeneca has already pledged to give 64% of its vaccine doses to developing countries, however new results released yesterday raise questions about how well it may protect those over 55.
Experts say that’s a key concern for a vaccine many have their hopes pinned on due to its lower cost and ease of use, however they say it still seems likely to be approved.
Meanwhile, anyone with a history of severe allergic reactions has been advised not to get the Pfizer vaccine after two British NHS workers had an anaphylactic reaction following their vaccination yesterday. Both have a history of significant allergies and are now recovering well.
Texts to 111 proposed
A police review into its handling of the Christchurch terror attacks has praised its response, however it’s made more than 70 recommendations for improvements to processes and systems.
One of those recommendations is considering the option of allowing people to text emergency services rather than call. Currently, only hearing-impaired people who have registered in advance can do so.
However, the review says being able to text 111 rather than ring could be crucial for people hiding during an active shooter situation.
Meanwhile, Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel has responded to the Royal Commission into the terror attacks, saying the whole country has a responsibility to take ownership of the racism that minorities such as Muslims experience.
She said the response to such discrimination “actually belongs to all of us” and is “something that we all have to own and own up to and address”.
And just a day after the report into the mosque attacks was released, Australian authorities have arrested an 18-year-old man for allegedly encouraging a mass casualty terrorist attack .
Police say the case is not related to the Christchurch attacks, however the man has reportedly expressed support for the Australian-born gunman’s ideology.
Whakaari's victims remembered
The first anniversary of the Whakaari/White Island eruption was marked with several ceremonies in Whakatāne yesterday.
Families of local victims remembered their loved ones, including Hayden Marshall-Inman, a tour guide who died on the volcano. His mother, Avey Woods, said he had wanted his ashes scattered at Whakaari if he died, and “now he is the guardian there” .
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made a pledge to the many victims of the eruption who are now back overseas.
“Whether or not you lost a loved one or whether you are a victim who is still grappling with the aftermath of your injuries, you forever have a place here,” she said yesterday.
Ardern said she couldn’t yet say whether there would be an official apology to those affected or if there would be a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the tragedy.
National party leader Judith Collins yesterday pushed for such an inquiry , saying to not have one would be unacceptable.
Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi also travelled to Whakatāne yesterday and said “our hearts still cry” for those who lost their lives during the eruption.
When asked about resuming tourism on the island, Waititi said he didn’t think it should go ahead .
"I don't think that she should be used for tourism after this particular event, after this tragedy. She has now said 'that's enough' from a Māori perspective."
Tourist’s family face killer
The man who shot dead an Australian tourist near Raglan has been sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 15 years and six months.
Sean McKinnon and his fiancée, Bianca Buckley, were holidaying in a campervan last year when they were woken in the middle of the night by 24-year-old Mark Garson, who had been smoking methamphetamine. Garson shot McKinnon twice before driving off with his body.
Yesterday, McKinnon’s family took the opportunity to address his killer.
Buckley spoke of Garson’s callous words after he shot her fiancé, while McKinnon’s sister Emmeline described her devastation over the murder in a victim impact statement that saw Garson become visibly upset.
Graduation ceremonies in limbo
Otago University is still waiting to hear from police whether this weekend's graduation ceremonies will go ahead.
The first events of Capping Week were cancelled yesterday due to a threat and organisers are yet to make a call on two more ceremonies scheduled for the weekend.
Some of those affected yesterday forged ahead with their own celebrations, staging a graduation ceremony on the city’s infamous Castle Street.
Other news of note this morning:
- National is calling for Speaker Trevor Mallard to be "upfront and transparent" over how much has been spent in his defamation case.
- The Commerce Commission is investigating the Safety Warehouse event that promised to drop $100,000 in Auckland's Aotea Centre.
- A man has been arrested after a gun was fired at a bar in central Auckland over the weekend.
- New Zealand's 13-year-olds have recorded their worst-ever results in a major international maths and science test.
- A train tour by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has received a frosty welcome from leaders in Wales and Scotland.
- And Forbes has named Jacinda Ardern as the 32nd most powerful woman in the world , ahead of Queen Elizabeth II.
And finally...
The perennially popular Country Calendar has been on our screens for more than 50 years now and we may have just found the show’s biggest fan – a dog named Digby.
Digby’s owners first noticed his enthusiasm for the show during lockdown and it’s now become appointment viewing for the canine .
While he gets most excited when he sees sheep and other dogs on the show, he’s apparently also happy to “just sit and watch when it’s a guy talking about fruit”.
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