Nine To Noon for Thursday 16 December 2021

 

 

09:05 Intensivists question govt promises on ICU beds

Hundreds of millions of dollars is to be spent on upgrading 24 hospitals around the country to improve care for both Covid patients and those who don't have the virus.Health Minister Andrew Little says 355 beds are to be upgraded and 30 intensive care or high dependency beds will be added in hospitals from Kaitaia to Invercargill.The changes involve converting exisiting hospital beds to isolation or negative pressure environments and more intensive care and high dependency beds. New Zealand has one of the lowest levels of ICU beds per capita in the OECD at 4 per 100,000 population. Kathryn gets reaction from Dr Rob Bevan, vice president of the College of Intensive Care Medicine, and is an intensive care specialist at Middlemore Hospital and Chair of the College of Critical Care nurses, Tania Mitchell.

09:30 Similarities between long-haul Covid and ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: new research

New research is investigating similarities between long-haul Covid and ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. University of Otago's Emeritus Professor Warren Tate and his team are examining the molecular patterns of long-haul Covid patients, who have persistant fatigue long after an expected time of recovery. Many of the symptoms reported by these patients, including "brain fog" are characteristic of ME/CFS. Data is currently being analysed from long-haul Covid patients, people with CFS/ME, and a control group to see if their molecular profiles are the same, or even closely related.  Kathryn speaks with Professor Tate and cellular immunologist Anna Brooks, from the University of Auckland, who is doing a complimentary study to understand post-viral illness more comprehensively.

09:45 UK: Christmas parties haunt PM, Covid cases hit new record

UK correspondent Matt Dathan joins Kathryn to talk about the trouble plaguing Boris Johnson over a number of Christmas parties held last year in contravention of Covid rules and how that's helped fuel a rebellion in his own ranks over new 'Plan B' restrictions. Covid cases hit a new pandemic high of 78,610 as health officials warn the country faces twin epidemics of Delta and Omicron.

10:05 Journalist Kati Marton on the legacy of Angela Merkel

After 31 years in politics - 16 of them as Germany's leader - Angela Merkel's successor finally took over the country last week. It ended quite a swan song for Merkel, who announced back in 2018 that she would stand down this year. Raised in East Germany, she entered politics during reunification and was the country's first female Chancellor, quickly gaining a reputation for being a source of stability and good in a crisis. While a popular politician, she bucked the trend of personality politics and populism. As author and journalist Kati Marton puts it: "After several decades, Germans are not tired of her image, her voice, her looming persona - because Merkel does not loom." Kati joins Kathryn to talk about her new biography: The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel.

 

10:35 Book review: The Essential Fairy by Anna Kenna

David Hill reviews The Essential Fairy by Anna Kenna, published by The CopyPress

10:45 The Reading

Gifted, episode ten. Written by Patrick Evans.​

11:05  Log4j nightmare before Christmas

Technology correspondent Peter Griffin joins Kathryn to unpack the Log4Shell or Log4j security exploit and the issues it's raised around the insecurity of legacy software systems that millions of organisations still rely on. And as Wellington becomes the first place in the southern hemisphere to get an electric ferry, what will it take to get more of them onto our harbours?

11:25 Report: how schools are supporting student well-being

Happiness and a sense of belonging at school is key for children's progress and good health. Kathryn is joined by Mohamed Alansari, senior researcher at the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, where they have recently looked into the key influences on student well-being, particularly that of Māori students.

11:45 Sex Lives of College Girls, Single All the Way, Red Notice

Film and TV reviewer Laumata Lauano joins Kathryn to talk about a new creation from Mindy Kaling, Sex Lives of College Girls (Neon), a new gay Christmas comedy Single All the Way (Netflix) and star-studded thief comedy Red Notice (Netflix).