Covid-19 will evolve to get around vaccines says expert, as govt looks at long-term MIQ options

The government is considering longer term options for managed isolation and quarantine - including new facilities. The Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins told Morning Report the government will keep its elimination strategy for Covid-19, even after as many people as possible get vaccinated. The World Health Organisation lists four variants of concern -- including the alpha and delta strains, which are more transmissible -- and seven variants of interest. Earlier, Māni Dunlop spoke to Otago University evolutionary virologist Dr Jemma Geoghegan about why MIQ might be needed in the longer term, given the virus is still spreading -- and mutating -- offshore.