Author Topic: Foreign Correspondence  (Read 3688 times)

Offline mare

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Re: Foreign Correspondence
« Reply #9 on: Monday 30 March 20 03:16 BST (UK) »
I never heard of Matamata, NZ.  This is matamata to me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdki3QQy0aI

Educational thanks and very much in your line of interest. 

In English we tend to pronounce it mattermatter, Maori sounding a bit more like muttermutter ...

https://maoridictionary.co.nz/search?idiom=&phrase=&proverb=&loan=&histLoanWords=&keywords=matamata


Offline roopat

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Re: Foreign Correspondence
« Reply #10 on: Tuesday 31 March 20 16:37 BST (UK) »
I've been checking the website worldometers.info (note it ends with info, I believe there's a variant which may not be safe to use)


It lists all available statistics for every country. Not all countries are reporting or testing in the same way, so the figures given are just a general guide, but it's interesting.
King, Richardson, Hathaway, Sweeney, Young - Chelsea, London
Richardson - Rayne Essex
Steward, Hindry, Hewitt - Norfolk, North Walsham area

Offline mare

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Re: Foreign Correspondence
« Reply #11 on: Wednesday 01 April 20 13:30 BST (UK) »
Thanks Pat, It's interesting to get a general guide as you say, how other countries big and small are coping ... or not as the case seems to be with some.

We also have a Pacific Correspondent, a journalist based here in Auckland, her report today said there were 7 countries or territories in the Pacific region now with Covid and total of around 130 cases and 2 deaths where the biggest rise has been, in Guam. They have about 70 cases, French Polynesia has around half that  and New Caledonia half again, a handful in Fiji and just a couple in others, all doing very best to contain. Tonga and Fiji policing their island nations with arrests for breach of curfew.

At home; in day 7 of lockdown, also 7 day Civil State of Emergency rolling over another 7 days, widening range of testing and more sites, continuing contact tracing of cases. 61 new today, 708 confirmed and probable, 82 recovered, 1 death and 16 in hospital.

Quite a few BBC reports in news bulletins again today, including the goats taking over the empty Welsh streets  :)

ps Also heard from a friend in NSW that the main two Sydney centric TV shows very much focus and bias to NSW, what government doing there is excellent but not really  covering what is happening in other Australian states and having to look for info elsewhere ... at least we do hear about other parts of our country but perhaps they feel it's more big city biased too  :-\

Offline mare

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Re: Foreign Correspondence
« Reply #12 on: Sunday 05 April 20 05:55 BST (UK) »
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

That site has been ideal for quick comparisons, thanks Pat, definitely up to date with NZ on time daily too. We've now gone into 4 figures today, 1039. Cluster cases, including Matamata, have increased in size as they go about tracing and testing contacts, though hopeful that still in containment mode with no spikes showing unrelated to earlier cases.

Don't need much more than that really, just the basics and fact. Not really into debate and opinion too much, politics definitely should be put aside in an emergency situation and good to see that opposition is backing Govt. decisions quite quietly while they're dealing with it day to day as capably as possible, firstly to stabilize and control and in teamwork with the other professionals involved without onlookers calling the shots. An advantage of course to have some knowledge and experience of other countries before us to avoid making too many mistakes in process but learn and amend as we go. Full co-operation would be great and it is with majority and applauded, still minority who think otherwise  ::)


Offline a chesters

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Re: Foreign Correspondence
« Reply #13 on: Sunday 05 April 20 06:46 BST (UK) »
Just to show how some people are treating the virus, Manly beach, North Steyne, and Freshwater beach have been closed by the police and the council due to the lack of "social distancing" by the twerps who think a beach is a good place to get together. :-X :-X :-X

So everyone has to suffer, due to lack of consideration by a few.

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Re: Foreign Correspondence
« Reply #14 on: Monday 06 April 20 06:16 BST (UK) »
Complacency with some like that in NZ too, AC and had seen reports of gatherings at yours.

It is supposed to be GO HOME, STAY HOME since lockdown, some decided home for the duration would be their 2nd homes at the beach which was really against directives. Of course it's added pressure on services at holiday spots and many are remote from doctors and hospitals. More people have been turning up in the middle of the night, as reported at one popular spot, obviously not to avoid traffic on the roads   ;) ... so they do know they're doing wrong!!

With Easter Weekend coming up and some no doubt expecting to still take off for their holiday, while the rest of us have cancelled, there will be more policing and roadblocks hopefully.

Offline a chesters

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Re: Foreign Correspondence
« Reply #15 on: Monday 06 April 20 06:49 BST (UK) »
Gold Coast council in Queensland have closed their beaches, due to the lack of social distancing by the idiots.

OK the weekend was warm and sunny, but..............................

Offline mare

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Re: Foreign Correspondence
« Reply #16 on: Friday 01 May 20 04:28 BST (UK) »
1st May, day 4 of slight easing of restrictions of lockdown, 11.59pm Wednesday 25th March 2020 - 11.59 pm Monday 27th April 2020. Allowing for businesses not operating under essential services to return to work where possible under the Covid alert guidelines but otherwise advice to stay home stay safe and same conditions of lockdown. https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-system/covid-19-alert-system/

Plans put in place for some children to return to schools if necessary where parents working etc but small percentage seem to have taken it up, no doubt most prefer to wait for next safety level. School where younger daughter works had 15 intending to attend, country school where older daughter teaches only had 5 so didn't open and other arrangements made.

Unbelievable the impatience of some with queues for takeaways of all things!! Unfortunately also out of lockdown there are those who have become complacent, with reports of more breaches but they're being policed or at least warned of prosecutions.

NZ has been quite successful with the tracking and tracing and keeping a fence around clusters, many recovering, still returning travellers in quarantine with the odd one adding to confirmed cases and continued testing being done around the country.  So sad that 2 of our aged care facilities have accounted for the majority of the vulnerable deaths and some staff among confirmed cases.

As of today, our number of confirmed and probable cases is 1479.
Confirmed  1,132 
Recovered 1,252
Deaths 19

Pacific Islands have done well with their restrictions to keep out the virus, Fiji had 18 confirmed cases, New Caledonia the same and both with few cases active. Samoa and Tonga have escaped the virus at this stage, however they along with Vanuatu copped the force of Hurricane Harold in early April with NZ sending aid, utter devastation in Vanuatu.

In other news, we've had the lovely updates of Capt. (Col) Tom Moore and his fundraising efforts regularly along with his 100th birthday celebrations 30..4.2020. Heartwarming stuff  :)

Oh, and my weekly shopping trip this morning was quick and easy, warmed up the car with a slightly longer and scenic route home. 8)


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Re: Foreign Correspondence
« Reply #17 on: Wednesday 27 May 20 06:01 BST (UK) »
Seeing as the current general discussion thread is getting very long, will add to this one again instead.

Our headlines have been replaced somewhat by political news, leadership coup of opposition on Friday 22 May and the first few days hearing of said new leader, NZ general elections are coming up in September.

PM has been focussed on job in hand re Covid19 and we gather that is reported globally with our optimistic success at suppressing the virus and no signs of community spread, so cautious easing of restrictions. We're reminded regularly of the virus having a 'long tail' which relates with our last confirmed case nearly a week ago associated with a cluster who was isolating though having previously tested negative weeks earlier. Now a case from the Ruby Princess some weeks on also, a couple of our earlier cases stemmed from the cruise ship too.

Australia has had similar numbers to us, taking into account population size, and there is talk of a Trans-Tasman bubble in the not too distant future. We are being encouraged to make use of our travel industry within the country now that we've been able to move around more for a couple of weeks, Queen's birthday weekend coming up and many will be looking forward to catching up with family and friends or recreation away from home. Australian state borders still closed though I believe, heard their PM mention possibility of getting to NZ before another state! ... it'll be a while I expect as we get our own borders virus-tight.

Other Pacific nations may be interested in joining a bubble, Fiji would be keen to for their tourism industry as well. Samoa has been particularly worried and cautious having had a measles outbreak and loss of life last year, so far avoided Covid19 but concerned at having international fishing boats in the waters and infected seamen reportedly on board and not wanting them ashore.

I expect most of us here are keen to hear the daily updates and fingers crossed we'll have another day of zero new cases, I certainly am! When 4 old cases of returning travellers were added to our total that were previously in Uraguay numbers it made the total jump more than it had done for a while. Currently at 1,504,  confirmed cases  1,154, probable cases 350 recovered 1,462,  active cases are 21 and our death total is 21, none in hospital as from today. 

We're on 'level 2' restrictions now, as from 11.59pm Wednesday 13th May with first stage allowing more back at work if they couldn't work from home, shops allowed to open, hairdressers etc and cafes and restaurants with seating and serving guidelines.
Pubs and bars had to wait another week so they've now had their first weekend open, limited to 100 patrons and distancing guidelines.
Schools were allowed back Monday 18th May, numbers gradually increasing with some choosing to hold back.
Gatherings of 10 people maximum but some exemption for funeral numbers to 50 on application, that is being increased as from Friday 29th May to 100 people maximum for all gatherings and again under the Covid guidelines.
Adjustments and review at 2 week intervals seems to be the plan, with a  date of 22 June in mind for next level  :-\ Know there is call from many to open up sooner, mostly though accepting the wisdom of decisions made for us. (  :P I don't always read the hater and nasty comments but there are plenty on forums etc   ... always some who could do it better  :-X yeah right )