COVID-19 Update #80 - 17 Whiringa-ā -Rangi 2021
Rāapa, 17 Whiringa-ā-.Rangi 2021
COVID-19 Update Pānui no. #80.
If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453
COVID-19 Pānui no. 80
Hutia te rito o te harakeke, kei hea te komako e ko? Kī mai koe ki au, he aha te mea nui i te ao? Māku e kī atu, He tangata! He tangata! He tangata!
E te whānau, we are receiving more kōrero and queries about how whānau should be keeping themselves safe while adhering to the public health order. Although keeping Covid out of Kōhanga Reo is important, we need to remember we are still people, and we are still whānau.
It is a difficult balance, and I remember one of the mantras of Kōhanga reo is titiro, whakarongo. We need to be able to see beyond what is happening in the here and now. We also need to listen to each other. It is only day two since vaccinations became mandatory in the education sector and whānau may not have gotten to grips yet with how that is reflected in the management and practice of Kōhanga Reo.
In previous pānui we have said ture is the baseline, tikanga is the standard. This may mean that we do not stick to the letter of the law but rather add extra layers of protection. We cannot however go the extreme and ban children from coming to Kōhanga Reo, whether their parents are vaccinated or not. That is not part of the Public Health Order.
We must remember to look after each other as whānau, and we must remember to protect those who cannot protect themselves, our mokopuna. If you require further support, please contact your local Tari ā rohe or Te Tari Matua
0800 KOHANGA or 0800 564 2642
Kei ā tātou anō te ara tika.
Clarification
Parental Vaccination Status
The Trust is aware that some Kōhanga Reo have put policies in place to prevent tamariki of unvaccinated whānau from attending Kōhanga Reo. To clarify, there are no specific requirements for parental vaccination in the Public Health Order.
The Trust recommends Kōhanga Reo do not implement policies requiring parents of enrolled tamariki to be vaccinated. Tamariki should not be excluded from being able to participate in Kōhanga Reo for something outside of their control.
Kōhanga Reo have an obligation to prevent the spread of communicable diseases and should continue to ensure that unwell tamariki stay home.
Updates
Traffic Light Framework Update
On 29 November, Cabinet will confirm its decision to move Tāmaki Makaurau into the new traffic light system.
Cabinet will also confirm whether the rest of the motu will move to the new framework at the same time, and regions with lower vaccination rates will move to the red setting.
Vaccination rates will be a determining factor for which colour in the traffic light framework each region immediately moves into. No region will enter this framework at the green setting.
Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, stated that the new system recognises the disparities in vaccination rates, and the Government is working with iwi and Māori health providers to continue supporting the vaccination campaign. She stated that “the job isn’t done until everyone has had the opportunity to get vaccinated”.
Tāmaki Makaurau Border to Reopen from 15 December
From 15 December 2021, anyone will be able to travel across the Tāmaki boundaries for any reason, so long as they are fully vaccinated or have had a negative test taken within 72 hours of departure.
This requirement will be in place from 15 December 2021 to 17 January 2022.
Cabinet recognises the dedication and hard work that our Tāmaki Makaurau whānau have put in to keep the rest of Aotearoa safe. As a result of increased vaccination rates, “it’s time to open up the ability to travel again”.
Current situation
Today, there are 194 new cases in the community:
- 180 in Tāmaki Makaurau
- 5 in Waikato
- 3 in Northland
- 6 in Lakes, Rotorua.
This brings our total community cases in the current outbreak to 6,167.
88 people in hospital
7 in ICU/HDU.
The average age of hospitalisations now sits at 51.
Today’s one new case in Christchurch has been linked to the Tāmaki Makaurau cluster. The case attended a tangi in Tāmaki Makaurau and returned on flight NZ1295 last Saturday, 13 November. The case returned a positive test result on Monday after becoming symptomatic. Passengers on flight NZ1295 are advised to monitor symptoms for the next 10 days and get tested today. This case will be officially added to tomorrow’s case numbers.
Six of today’s cases from Taupō have been linked to known cases in the rohe. One case is in Tūrangi and has also been linked to known cases in Taupō.
COVID-19 has been detected in wastewater samples taken in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui on 15 November. The virus was also detected in samples collected in Taupō on 13 and 15 November, and in Tūrangi on 15 November. Whānau with symptoms in these areas are urged to get tested as soon as possible.
Yesterday, a man in his 60’s sadly passed away at North Shore Hospital. He was admitted to hospital on 4 November with COVID-19 symptoms and then tested positive.
Ka nui te aroha ki tōna whānau me ngā hoa.
Vaccination Rates of Eligible People by DHB (with active cases)
- Northland DHB: 83% first doses and 72% second doses
- Tāmaki DHB: 93% first doses and 86% second doses
- Waikato DHB: 89% first doses and 80% second doses
- Taranaki DHB: 88% first doses and 76% second doses
- Canterbury DHB: 94% first doses and 83% second doses
- Rotorua DHB: 85% first doses and 74% second doses
- MidCentral DHB: 90% first doses and 80% second doses
- Wairarapa DHB: 90% first doses and 79% second doses
Māori Statistics to reach 90%
For the Māori roll-out, 796,252 of our whanau have received one or both doses of the vaccine. Approximately 443,155 (78%) of our whānau have received one dose, and 353,097 (62%) are fully vaccinated.
Pānui Reminders
All our pānui are uploaded to our Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust website. You can access our past pānui here.
Tikanga Haumaru
Alert Level 3, Step 2, for Tāmaki Makaurau
Kōhanga Reo can open and with bubble sizes of up to 20 mokopuna. Bubbles must be in separate rooms or spaces.
Changes can occur but only in certain circumstances, for example, when a mokopuna leaves to start kura.
They can then be replaced with a new tamaiti. You can also add new tamariki to bubbles that have not yet reached a maximum of 20 tamariki. Providing you can maintain the three square-metres per child indoor measurement and meet other public health measures.
A reminder of the existing layers of protection that remain a priority in Alert Level 3 Kōhanga:
- Staying away if sick and calling Healthline to determine whether you need a test
- Getting vaccinated for those who are eligible
- Good ventilation
- Physical distancing as much as it is practicable
- Good cough and sneeze etiquette, and
- Regular handwashing
Here are some resources for Kōhanga Reo at Alert Level 3, Step 2:
Tikanga Haumaru – Level 2 Basic Guidelines
- A maximum of 100 people for indoor and outdoor gatherings.
- Kōhanga Reo can open
- Face coverings are mandatory inside most public places
- You can travel to other rohe that are at Alert Level 2 or lower
- Maintain good hygiene practices
- Keep 2m distance in public and in retail stores. There must also be 2m distancing in most other places like workplaces, cafes, and restaurants
For any further assistance, ring 0800 KOHANGA or 0800 564 2642
Kia tau iho tonu ngā manaakitanga.
Nāku noa,
Angus Hartley
Tumu Whakarae | Chief Executive
