OMICRON OUTBREAK LATEST* Omicron surges in the capital: 22% positivity rate; outbreak in university halls* Removal of self-isolation for vaxxed travellers ‘sensible’ – experts* Two years of Covid in NZ – the wins, the losses and what comes next* Employers brace for Kiwi worker exodus as borders reopen* Minister tests positive for Covid; 14,633 new cases as NZ reaches grim […] Rapid antigen tests for teachers and classifying school kids as close contacts only if they “kiss, cough, share a vape or sing” are new rules for schools in hope of keeping kids in class. This week the Ministry of Education announced new rules to reduce disruption to learning as Omicron cases rise. The introduction of RATs is one but schools […] A string of Auckland schools are keeping students home for part of the week while others have moved completely to online-only learning to combat Covid staffing woes. Many teachers in the city are isolating because they have tested positive or are a close contact of another case, with one school saying staffing has become “a nightmare”. With the pool of […] Aditya Nandyal first learned about the idea of an ecological footprint in his Advanced Placement Human Geography class, but he wanted to know more about how to step more lightly on the Earth. A sophomore at Lafayette’s Peak to Peak Charter School, he used his interest to develop an interactive app called “Objective Green” and enter it into a contest. […] Littleton Public Schools will no longer offer COVID-19 vaccinations on school campuses after two videos circulated online of students allegedly receiving their shots without parental consent. The school district sent a letter to parents on Tuesday, saying that it is “aware of a situation” that happened at a vaccine clinic held at Heritage High School in Littleton on Jan. 21, […] From Craig McCulloch of RNZ Cabinet ministers will meet this afternoon to assess the traffic light settings across the country and, most crucially, whether Northland will drop to orange. The outcome will be announced tomorrow as Labour MPs gather in New Plymouth for a new year caucus get-together. The Cabinet meeting – the first this year – is set down […] Adams 14 announced Friday that the school district will move all schools to remote-learning next week following a surge in COVID-19 cases. Students will attend virtual classes at least from Jan. 10 until Jan. 14 because Adams County as a whole has seen cases increase 357% in two weeks, according to the letter the district sent parents. The district is […] There is a third border-related case with the Omicron variant, the Ministry of Health said today. There are a total of 31 new cases of Covid-19 in the community, the latest data shows. The person with Omicron, who is fully vaccinated, is a household contact of the Air New Zealand crew member who tested positive last week with the highly […] From RNZ Locations of mini-MIQs around the country are being kept under wraps as health authorities in the provinces prepare for a deluge of visitors over summer. At the behest of district health boards, some accommodation providers are sectioning off rooms or units for potential Covid-19 cases to isolate. These mini-MIQs are being set up in places that don’t have […] By Rowan Quinn of RNZ Just two motel units have been set aside in Queenstown for people who might need help to isolate with Covid despite tens of thousands of Aucklanders about to hit town, mayor Jim Boult says. He is worried it will not be enough to ensure people can isolate safely while holidaying in town. Mini-MIQs are being […]
Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Nearly 20,000 new community cases, 373 people in hospital – Ashley Bloomfield
Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: $12 rapid antigen test ‘last resort’ for schools spending $300 a day on relievers
Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Schools moving to rostered learning as Covid sends teachers home
Peak to Peak students win 1st, 2nd place in congressional app contest
Littleton Public Schools nix COVID-19 vaccine clinics after videos claim kids got shots without parental consent
Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Cabinet meets today to assess traffic light settings, border reopening
Adams 14 to move all schools to remote-learning as COVID-19 case surge
Covid 19 Delta outbreak: 31 new cases in the community – new border-related Omicron case
Covid 19 Delta outbreak: What happens if you test positive for while on holiday
Covid 19: District health boards prepare with mini-MIQs for infected visitors