Covid 19
Covid-19: Isolation rules should ease once Omicron takes off - Baker
Epidemiologist Michael Baker says tough isolation rules around Omicron cases should ease once the outbreak takes hold in the community.
Household contacts of a positive case could end up isolating… Audio
Covid-19: Concerns for staff in health, grocery, manufacturing
Representatives from manufacturing, food and grocery, and healthcare are all worried about serious shortages if the self isolation period for close contacts of Covid-19 cases is not reduced.
One… Audio
Covid-19: Hospital staff told to be ready to take on other roles
Senior doctors are concerned about the prospect of returning to work shortly after testing positive for Covid-19.
Auckland Hospital doctors have been told employees could be asked to go back to work… Audio
Covid-19: Warnings staff shortages will worsen
Business leaders are warning staff shortages will become much worse now Omicron is in the community.
Employers and Manufacturers Association chief executive Brett O'Riley says while businesses have… Audio
Covid-19: Omicron work from home unnerving for Auckland city centre businesses
Large numbers of staff working from home is once again unnerving cafe owners in Auckland's CBD already struggling after months in various lockdown last year.
Even experts such as infectious diseases… Audio
Solomons covid cases pass 300 as outbreak worsens
We check in on a worsening Covid-19 outbreak in Solomon Islands. Audio
Nicola Willis: govt not done enough to prep for Omicron
Nathan Rarere spoke with the deputy leader of the National Party, Nicola Willis, and asked if she thinks the country's prepared for Omicron. Audio
Covid Red traffic light system affects live events
A major live events company has cancelled all of its shows for the rest of the year as a result of the country going to the red traffic light setting. Greenstone Entertainment made the difficult… Audio
Cook Islands travel bubble with NZ stays open
To the Cook Islands now where Cabinet has to decided to keep the travel bubble with New Zealand open - despite the Omicron outbreak here. Nathan Rarere spoke with Liana Scott from the Cook Islands… Audio
Japan: Omicron rates rising exponentially round the country
We head to Japan now where, like in New Zealand, things were starting to get back to normal ... until Omicron came along. Since the start of the month, the new variant has washed over the country at… Audio
'We're here if you need us': Manurewa marae gets South Auckland boosted
As the country prepared to move into red, the Manurewa marae held one final mass vaccination event.
NZ scientists develop system to disinfect PPE
A group of Kiwi scientists have developed a potential solution to the more than 25,000 tonnes of Covid-19-related plastic waste that has polluted the oceans in the past two years.
List of Auckland Omicron-related locations of interest grows
A number of close contact Omicron-related locations of interest in Auckland and Nelson have been added to the Ministry of Health's website today.
School expects up to half of staff could be in isolation at Omicron's peak
One primary school principal in Māngere East says since the announcement of Omicron's arrival in the community, she has been thinking about how to handle predicted staff shortages. Audio
'Now is the perfect time' to get Covid-19 vaccine booster - experts
The arrival of Omicron has spurred on the country's Covid-19 vaccine rollout, with the total number of administered booster doses ticking over to one million today, and 100,000 paediatric doses now… Audio
Red restrictions will help slow spread of Omicron - immunologist
When NZ reaches peak Omicron it won't be realistic to keep isolating people and it'll be obvious we're at that tipping point; according to an Otago University immunolgist.
So far there are 19 Omicron… Video, Audio
Booster vaccine numbers rise as Omicron looms
The unwanted arrival of Omicron appears to have spurred on the country's Covid vaccine rollout, with the number of booster doses ticking over one million today.
Other people are bringing their… Audio
Swap your cloth mask for a surgical, N-95 or P-2, experts say
Masks have been a major part of life under Covid but now Omicron has entered the community they're needed more than ever.
The government is due to update its advice on masks this week but experts are… Video, Audio
Lack of rapid antigen tests disappointing - Business NZ boss
How will critical businesses like food production and freight keep the wheels turning when the full force of omicron hits?
One modeller predicts it could infect up to half the population and… Video, Audio
Emergency services warn Omicron will make staff shortages worse
Emergency services could be facing their own 111 crisis with a warning; they too could be hit by the Omicron outbreak, with already strained staff facing another massive challenge.
Thousands of… Audio
