The two Tongan brothers who were gunned down outside their home in the United Stated were laid to rest yesterday Friday 15 (PST).
Suitileilani Mēsui (L), Manasi Atiai Mesui
The burial services for Suitileilani, 21 and Manasi Atiai Mēsui, 26, were held at Sunset View Cemetery, El Cerrito, California.
Authorities previously said the men apparently got into some kind of confrontation with some other men and were shot on September 27. They were pronounced dead at the scene, East Bay Times reported.
Police have yet to update their media statements after they said the suspects fled on foot before police arrived on the scene.
Police are trying to determine what the confrontation was about, the paper reported.
“The killings are the 101st and 102nd being investigated as homicides by police this year. Last year at this time police had investigated 76 killings as homicides,” it said.
Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $20,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrests of the suspects in both the double killing and the shooting that wounded four people. Anyone with information may call police at 510-238-3821 or 510-238-7950 or 510-238-3426 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572.
With daily Covid-19 case numbers climbing, there is mounting concern from health workers about the strain that could be put on ICU capacity. But it’s not just the immediate hospitalisations that are a cause for worry, said Massey University Professor John Potter.
Massey University Professor John Potter. Photo: Supplied
Potter, a professor at Massey’s Research Centre for Hauora and Health who was Chief Science Advisor to the New Zealand Ministry of Health from 2016-2019, said if Covid-19 becomes endemic to New Zealand it could cause massive wider problems for the health system.
“Two hundred and seventy thousand Covid survivors, and they followed them, and between a third and a half had symptoms three to six months later,” Potter said speaking today to Saturday Morning.
“And those are a wide variety of symptoms that are indicative of the fact that this particular virus infects a lot of different parts of us. It’s not just a respiratory virus.”
“It’s a virus that gets into lots of organs and has downstream consequences that are really nasty for a lot of people.”
Long Covid symptoms can include breathing problems, abdominal symptoms, fatigue, pain, anxiety and depression.
Victims can have myalgia, pain in the muscles, which can present similar to chronic fatigue syndrome.
“Abnormal breathing persists in a decent percentage of people almost 20 percent of people because of damage to the lungs,” Potter said.
“Some people have headaches and cognitive symptoms which tells us that it does damage to the brain.”
More than 10 percent end up with pain in various places of the body, and anxiety and depression were found in almost a quarter of people in the long Covid study.
“People also get something a little like what people have called chemo brain where you’ve got symptoms where your brain is fuzzy, it’s not functioning at the level you’re used to having it function.”
The symptoms are very different than the ordinary influenza, Potter said.
“Flu has occasionally you get a post-viral malaise. The flu people generally get, it’s vile, it’s lousy, it kills people … but generally people recover fully after flu.”
Long Covid symptoms were first described more than a year ago by ordinary people getting together in groups on social media and elsewhere.
“It was first picked up more than a year ago by a really good article in The Washington Post,” he said.
The new UK study is a “really important contribution to our understanding,” Potter said.
“But there’s still an awful lot to understand. We don’t know how long this persists.”
“It’s clearly different from anything like the flu.”
Similarities to Covid-19 can be found in the respiratory illnesses of the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak in China and MERS in 2012 in the Middle East.
“These are both coronaviruses and our Covid … this is the third that we know we’ve encountered with this kind of nastiness.
“But coronaviruses are also part of our common cold sources. There are lots of different viruses that cause cold.”
The Delta variant mutation of Covid-19 has led to new waves and spread throughout the world, including New Zealand. Potter said nobody knows for sure if Covid-19 will mutate further, but there are concerns.
“Here’s a very good reason why it won’t become more benign. This particular version of this particular coronavirus, the Delta variant, has an R1 (reproduction rate) of about 6. That means that the numbers go up very rapidly. It spreads itself really, really rapidly. And that’s our problem with it.
“For any virus variant to replace this one, it’s got to be even more infectious than this one.”
“If it mutates away from being infectious it won’t compete with this one, so this will be the dominant one continuously.”
“If you want a comparison, malaria is endemic in tropical parts of the world. Every year there are more than 200 million cases of malaria, and over 400,000 deaths and two-thirds of those are in children under 5. So there are 750 deaths a day from children under 5 from malaria. And malaria is endemic.”
“Germany and the UK are currently more than 80 percent vaxxed and yet the UK has got about 30,000-plus cases a day and 130 deaths. Germany has done better, bigger population, it’s got 8000 cases a day and about 60 deaths.
“That would translate into New Zealand terms, at 80 percent vaccination, somewhere between 500 and 2500 a day and 5 to 10 deaths a day.
“This isn’t formal modelling,” Potter noted. “This is just saying if we compare ourselves to Germany and the UK that’s the kind of numbers we’re going to face.”
Long term, Potter said that if we don’t penetrate all communities equally with vaccines we’re going to face ongoing problems.
“We’re going to end up with a new kind of inequity that I’ve begun to think of as the jabs and the jab-nots. We are going to be in trouble because this will spread rapidly in areas where there is no vaccination.”
“It’s certainly not a replacement for vaccination and it’s not a cure,” Potter said. “All it does is it stomps on the virus hard enough that you don’t get such a big viral load.”
However, it’s not all doom and gloom, Potter said.
“I don’t think we’re going on forever. The good news is again … the general response from the population is massive. More than 80 percent of the eligibles at the moment have taken their first jab. A huge proportion of those will take their second jab.
“We’ve got four-fifths of the population already voting with their feet. A lot of them doing it for the common good, for the family good, for the whānau good.
“All of that’s just fabulous, and it speaks to us. The PM was absolutely right about the team of 5 million. Yes, we’ve got a few people who don’t want to play the game, but generally, people are right on side and really doing everything they can to make this work properly.”
“We’re the country that other people look to to give them hope,” Potter said, despite recent setbacks.
“I think one wheel is wobbling. I remain optimistic because the general sense is that we can still ring-fence this.
“If we have to crank the levels back up, fine. I appreciate that means pain and misery for some people. But it’s mostly mental pain and misery, it’s not gonna be the physical disease of Covid-19.
“That’s the reason for everybody to go out and get vaccinated ASAP.”
———- FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA —————
Kōviti Mā’uloloa pe Long Covid. ‘Oku mahino ‘eni ‘oku ‘ikai ko e puke pe he Koviti’ pea iku ‘o te sai pea pehē kuo’ te hao leva ‘o mo’ui lelei pe foki pe ‘o nōmolo leva. ‘Ikai. Ko hono ha’aha’a’ ‘oku ‘amo atu ia ‘i he nunu’a ‘o e fuluu’ (flu). Manatu ko e ongo mahaki ko ‘eni’ ‘oku fakatupu lōua pe kinaua ‘e he vailasi’. Ka ko e puke he fuluu’ ko ‘ene ‘osi pe hono faito’o’ pea ‘i he angamaheni’ ko ‘ene ‘osi ia pea ma’a e vailasi mei hoto sino’ ‘i ha ngaahi vaa’i taimi pau. ‘Oku kehe ‘a e Koviti’ ia koe’uhī ko e maumau pe kafo ne fakatupu ‘e he vailasi’ ki he ‘ōkani he sino’ hili ha mahino kuo ake ha taha ‘o hao mei he mate’ pe puke’ ‘e fe’ao ia mo ha ni’ihi ‘i ha taimi lōloa. Ko e me’a ‘eni kuo ui ko e Koviti Mā’uloloa pe Long Covid. ‘Oku toe mahino foki ko e uesia ‘a e Kōviti’ ‘oku ‘ikai fakangatangata pe ia ki he ma’ama’a he sino’ ‘o hangē ko e fuluu’. ‘Oku ope atu ‘ene maumau ‘ana a’u ki he ‘uto’, uoua’ hangē ko ha’ate ongo’i fetengetenga’i. Pea ‘oku mei lahi ‘a e Koviti Mā’uloloa kia kinautolu ‘oku ‘ikai mo’ui lelei honau sino’ kae toe mo’ua ia ‘i ha ngaahi mahaki kehe pea nau toki ma’u ‘a e Koviti’. Ngaahi fakaikiiki ki he feitu’u mo e ma’u’anga tala ki he fakamatala nounou ko ‘eni ‘oku ‘asi atu pe ‘i ‘olunga he fakamatala ‘Ingilisi’.
The Super Saturday Vaxathon that has seen around 130,000 people vaccinated in one day has exceeded expectations, the prime minister says.
Photo: RNZ
The target for the day was 100,000 but this number was reached by mid-afternoon, and the prime minister set a new target of 150,000.
The number of vaccinations delivered has seen the country’s previous daily record of 93,350 jabs smashed.
Events were staged all around the country with coverage screening live on TV1, TV3 and Māori TV.
The Ministry of Health will release final figures tomorrow.
The numbers
129,965 people vaccinated by 9.45pm (a provisional figure)
41 new community cases, 21 unlinked to existing cases
40 of the cases are in Auckland, 1 in Waikato
31 people are in hospital, six in intensive care
2 cases in managed isolation
Prime minister thrilled with response
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern praised New Zealanders for turning out in record numbers to protect whānau and loved ones.
“Super Saturday has exceeded expectations and has ensured as a country we are more protected from Covid-19,” Ardern said.
“The passion and energy shown across the country reminds of just how hard everyone is working to keep each other safe. Just as we stayed home last year to save lives now we are getting vaccinated to protect the team of 5 million.”
She said Aotearoa could become one of the most vaccinated countries in the world, if the momentum can be carried on.
From donuts to dancing, from care packs to home appliances – businesses and volunteers joined forces across the motu to ensure thousands who came along to be vaccinated also had the chance to be fed and/ or take home a gift as well as be entertained.
People took the chance to be vaccinated whether it was on a marae, a netball court or a Dreamliner and by 3pm the government’s target of 100,000 had been met.
Ardern announced the milestone: “Amazing news! So, Aotearoa, we have now had 100,019 vaccinations today which is awesome. But let’s not stop there.
“Let’s go for 150! Let’s go big or go home.”
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at an event organised by young people in Porirua. Photo: RNZ / Kirsty Frame
The prime minister who toured various vaccination sites in the capital jumped aboard the Delta Buster Bus which has just started vaccinating in Lower Hutt. She posed for selfies and met health workers at several venues, including Sky Stadium.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield was also among the cheerleaders, delighting those at Cannons Creek with an informal dance routine.
Around the nation
In Auckland, Maungakiekie MP Priyanca Radhakrishnan said the Super Saturday vaccination centres in her electorate were busy and people had fun.
She said there had been lots of activities including spot prizes, barbecues, sausage sizzles and cultural performances.
Radhakrishnan said people also shared why it was important for them to get vaccinated.
“Many spoke to me about the need to protect their family members, some of the more vulnerable family members they have.”
People also spoke about attending funerals, caring for their loved ones and wanting to get back to a sense of normality, she said.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff toured vaccination sites around the city and was impressed by the positive mood.
“It’s actually quite uplifting to see queues of people lining up to get their vaccination, in a kind of a celebratory spirit too.”
He said it was particularly encouraging to see so many young people choosing to be vaccinated.
In Northland, a vaccination site at a Te Tai Tokerau marae saved locals long drives to get immunisations today.
The clinic at Mōkau marae near Whangaruru managed to vaccinate 30 people per hour this morning and over lunch.
Visitors were served hangi, fry bread and donuts, given care packs with soap and masks, and kai packs to take home.
Ngātiwai trustee Rōpata Diamond said the marae site was much more convenient than hours spent on a round trip to town.
The site welcomed everyone from teens to people in their 90s. Diamond said many rangatahi came for their first shot because their “nanas told them too”.
Many schools hosted events, including Nelson Intermediate, which has a high population of Māori and Pasifika.
Public health charge nurse manager Nicola Thompson said whānau have been coming to the event to support each other, and some brought their children to be vaccinated too.
Pacific people turn out
At an event organised by the Tongan Health Society in Onehunga, the society’s chief executive, Glenn Doherty, said they had been giving about 100 doses per hour.
He said the event showed how Tongans are rallying together for the community.
One of the organisers involved with a Pasifika-youth-led vaccination fair in Porirua said community-focused outreach gets the best turnout.
The fair run by local teenagers and young adults in the suburb of Cannons Creek drew hundreds of people.
The outdoor event had live performances, food, games and raffles next to the vaccination tent.
Festival volunteer Louis Ariu-Woolley said making vaccinations accessible and fun is the right approach for communities.
The youth-led ‘Do it 4 the East’ Photo: Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor
Protest organisers to be prosecuted
About 2000 people attended an anti-lockdown protest rally at the Auckland Domain today.
Relieving Auckland City District Commander Superintendent Shanan Gray said in a statement that the protest breached alert level 3 restrictions, which limits gatherings to weddings, funerals and tangihanga to no more than 10 people.
While police did not make any arrests, several organisers will be prosecuted in the coming days, he said.
Another woman who travelled to Northland tests positive
A third woman, who was with the two women who travelled to Northland, has tested positive for Covid-19.
The other women also tested positive for the coronavirus, and the Ministry of Health said all three are in a quarantine facility.
The Ministry of Health does not belive the latest case was infectious while in Northland but have identified five of her contacts in Auckland.
Samoa extends quarantine period
The Samoa government has decided to increase the quarantine period for incoming passengers from 14 days to 21 days because of the spike in community cases of the Covid-19 Delta variant in New Zealand.
This was confirmed by the Director General of the Ministry of Health, Leausa Dr Take Naseri, at a news conference, where he added that the Delta variant has an incubation period of 28 days and it can transmit on the first or the last day.
Some 249 passengers who arrived on September 30, and are due to be released next week, will be asked to self isolate in their homes for a further seven days.
There was a street festival vibe to many Pasifika-organised Vaxathon events around the country today.
Langimalie Supervax Event in Onehunga, Auckland run by the Tongan Health Society. The society’s CEO Dr Glenn Doherty (middle) says they’re giving 100 doses per hour. Photo: RNZ / Liu Chen
Thousands of Pacific people have taken the chance to be vaccinated against Covid-19 – with organisers going out of their way to make many events as much fun as possible.
In Onehunga at the Langimalie Supervax Event long queues of cars held occupants waited to be vaccinated, while outside people danced in the streets, waving Tongan flags, and brightening the mood of all those around them.
At the Langimalie Supervax Event in Onehunga, organised by the Tongan Health Society. Photo: Coconet TV / Penina Momoiseā
At the Langimalie Supervax Event in Onehunga, organised by the Tongan Health Society Photo: Coconet TV / Penina Momoiseā
Dancing in the street at the Langimalie Supervax Event in Onehunga. Photo: Coconet TV / Penina Momoiseā
The Tongan Health Society chief executive, Dr Glenn Doherty, said they were giving 100 vaccine doses per hour at the event.
In Ōtara, while the vibe was more chill, long lines still snaked slowly around the MIT carpark as large numbers waited for their doses.
Lines of cars stretch out at the MIT carpark in Ōtara for the Super Saturday vaccination event Photo: Coconet TV / Penina Momoiseā
A big response from the community in Ōtara to the Super Saturday vaccination event Photo: Coconet TV / Penina Momoiseā
The Samoan flags were waving at the Super Saturday vaccination event at the Browns Road netball courts in Manurewa, with those turning up getting a dose of Siva Samoa with their vaccine.
A man waving a Samoan flag and blue face covering dances at the Browns Road netball courts in Manurewa. Photo: Coconet TV / Penina Momoiseā
One of many Samoan flags waved at Manurewa Super Saturday event Photo: Coconet TV / Penina Momoiseā
The Samoan community there gave out food parcels, sanitary products and petrol vouchers.
In Māngere, at the LDS church on Robertson Road, it was all about Kuki Airani culture.
Welcome to the Cook Islands Vaccination Drive-Thru Photo: Coconet TV / Penina Momoiseā
Entertainment at the Cook Islands Māngere Vaccination Drive Thru. Photo: Coconet TV / Penina Momoiseā
The ‘Do it 4 the East’ youth-led vaccination event in East Porirua’s Cannons Creek featured live music and performances, raffles, food and basketball.
Cultural performances at Cannons Creek in East Porirua Photo: Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor
Delicious food on offer at Cannons Creek Super Saturday event Photo: Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor
Cannons Creek Super Saturday Photo: Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor
It was there that crowds got to watch the Director General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, spread his legs to the much loved Roimata.
When Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern asked people who they got vaccinated for, they replied “The East!”
In the South Island, members of the Nelson Tasman Pasifika Community Trust were at the whānau day at Nelson Intermediate School.
Around 100 people there had received the Covid-19 jab by midday.
Nelson Tasman Pasifika Community Trust chair Sonny Alesana said reaching out on social media is helping to boost the number of Pasifika vaccinated in the top of the South Island.
*Additional reporting by Penina Momoiseā from The Coconet TV.
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) has accepted the latest pay offer for staff working in district health boards.
Striking nurses outside Christchurch Hospital in June. The NZNO called off strike action in August as the country went into lockdown Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Of its 32,000 members who work in DHBs, 83 percent voted yes in balloting that finished at midday today.
Negotiations had lasted 15 months.
Lead advocate David Wait said he was pleased DHBs took the advice of the Employment Relations Authority after mediation last month and finally put forward an acceptable offer.
“It is great to receive something that both addresses pay issues and makes important progress towards safe staffing.
“Most of the pay increase comes in the form of downpayments on our pay equity settlement, a separate process due for completion by the end of November, but the early lump sum payments are substantial.
“We also have a DHB contractual obligation to safe staffing, with a legally enforceable escalation pathway when members’ concerns aren’t addressed. Together with new employment commitments these are steps towards addressing the staffing crisis and making nursing an attractive profession again.”
The ratified agreement is back dated to 1 August last year, and will run until the end of October next year.
Wait said members remained wary of their employers’ promises, and how DHBs responded regarding safe staffing over the next year would play a big role in the next collective agreement negotiation
Health Minister Andrew Little said he was pleased that there was a settlement that both groups could support.
“This deals with the immediate issue of making sure nurses get a pay rise, but I also acknowledge that we still have to conclude their pay-equity claim.
“Nurses have been under-paid and under-valued for a long time, and the Government is committed to doing something about it.”
He said nurses were rightly concerned abut staffing levels and action was being taken to recruit nurses into those vacant positions.
Three people have died and a fourth person is in hospital after a boat flipped at Auckland’s Manukau Harbour this afternoon.
Manukau Harbour Photo: RNZ / Jessie Chiang
Police, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, Maritime NZ, St John Ambulance, the Coastguard, and local lifesavers all responded at about 4.40pm, after the boat carrying the group overturned near the bar.
Police say all four people were found in the water but three died at the scene.
The person who survived suffered serious injuries and has been flown to hospital.
Police say inquiries are continuing.
Two people died in separate incidents in Manukau Harbour last weekend. Both deaths have been referred to the Coroner.
Tonga rugby coach Toutai Kefu says his family is making good progress in their recovery from a home invasion attack two months ago.
Tonga rugby coach Toutai Kefu. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The 47 year-old, who played 60 tests for the Wallabies, was rushed to hospital in August with his wife Rachel and two of his children.
He underwent emergency surgery after being stabbed in the attack, while his wife had surgery on a deep cut to her arm.
Kefu said their physical wounds have pretty much healed but his wife’s movement was still limited.
“She only just started her therapy on her hand so she can’t move her hand at all yet, so we’re hoping with some intense therapy over the next 6-12 months she can get close to full movement,” he said.
“There’s a still a bit of uncertainty there but every day she’s getting a little bit better, albeit with a lot of pain. She’s heading in the right direction.”
The ‘Ikale Tahi head coach has selected a 40-man squad to face Scotland, England, the French Barbarians and Romania on their upcoming Northern Hemisphere tour, although not every player will be available for all the games.
But the father of five will remain in Brisbane as he and his family continue their recovery.
“I would rather be there but as you know it’s probably best for me to stay home at this point,” he said.
“It will be a weird feeling (watching the team on TV) but I’m actually really looking forward to this campaign. We don’t get too many chances to play two tier one games so I was bitterly disappointed I couldn’t make the trip for obvious reasons I couldn’t be there.”
Kefu’s assistant coach Grant Doorey, and former Flying Fijians head coach John McKee, will be handed the reins of the Tongan team on tour, while Cardiff attack coach Richie Reece and Connacht forwards coach Jimmy Duffy will also join the coaching staff for their end of year campaign.
“We’ve had meetings consistently now over the last month – all quite capable guys and more importantly really nice guys. They look like they’re going to really fit into our environment,” Kefu said.
“With the other staff we’ve looked to recruit from Europe as well – our medical, our analysts and our managerial side as well, so it will be a wholly new looking staff for this campaign.”
Grant Doorey will lead the team alongside former Fiji coach John McKee. Photo: Tonga Rugby Union
Kefu will be in regular contact with the coaching staff but said he would leave the final decisions up to them.
“So I’ll have my opinions on selections but I’ll leave the selections to Grant, Grunter, but we will have discussions around that,” he said.
“All training sessions will be filmed. I’ll probably get one of the coaches to wear a go pro and I’ll just have conversations with Grunter and the coaching group most mornings and most afternoons or evenings. I won’t interfere but I will stay connected with the group closely.”
Toutai Kefu said selecting a squad for their upcoming matches was no easy task, with most of their New Zealand based players unavailable because of a lack of MIQ places.
“We’ve got a lot of players over there in Europe so getting players wasn’t an issue – just getting the right players and putting together a really competitive team was probably the biggest issue,” he said.
“We could hardly get any players out of New Zealand, so that was tough and also one of our games is outside the window and that’s proven to be a little bit difficult but we’ve done it and a lot of thanks goes to the coaching staff and management and so on, so we got there in the end.”
Most of the Tongan squad from their July tests were unavailable for the end of year tour. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Kefu said former Wallabies forward Lopeti Timani will bring plenty of physicality, experience and leadership to the ‘Ikale Tahi squad after switching his international allegience via the Tonga sevens programme.
“A very very powerful player. He can play lock or in the backrow and what we’re looking for (from) him is just a bit of leadership but also just to lead the way in terms of on field physical presence in terms of running with the ball but also in defence.”
Former All Blacks midfielder Malakai Fekitoa is also newly eligible for Tonga but was ruled out of their available for the upcoming tests after suffering a shoulder injury.
“It’s unfortunate for him,” Kefu said. “It was a long and drawn-out complicated process to get him qualified, Malakai, but we got the job done. We were hoping he could play this campaign but at least we got him for next year and the World Cup moving forward.”
Malakai Fekitoa,Lopeti Timani and Afusipa Taumoepeau are eligible for the ‘Ikale Tahi after playing at the Final Olympic 7s Qualifier. Photo: Tonga Rugby Union
There are 65 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today.
Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
There was no media conference today. In a statement, the Health Ministry said 34 of these cases are linked, 10 are household contacts, and 31 remain unlinked with investigations continuing.
Earlier today, the Ministry of Health said a second test for Covid-19 in Te Awamutu’s wastewater returned a positive result.
The sample was taken on Wednesday, after detection of Covid-19 in wastewater on Tuesday.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield told Morning Report those who contracted Covid-19 despite being fully vaccinated were likely to require shorter periods in isolation.
Vaccinated people appeared to be infectious for a shorter period of time, he said.
The South African medical practitioner charged with murdering her three children in Timaru intends to plead not guilty to all of the charges.
A vigil was held in Timaru for the three sisters last month. Photo: RNZ / Conan Young
Lauren Dickason, 40, is accused of killing her twin daughters Maya and Karla, 2, and their six-year-old sister Liane.
She continues to be detained at a forensic psychiatric unit at Hillmorton Hospital in Christchurch, and her appearance in court was excused this morning.
Dickason’s lawyer entered not guilty pleas on her behalf.
The lawyer sought and was granted further suppression of the details of the case.
Lianne Dickason, 6, and twins Maya and Karla Dickason. Photo: Supplied
A two-week trial is scheduled to start on 20 March, 2023.
While the hearing was a High Court in Timaru matter, it was heard at the High Court in Christchurch.
New rules leave it to principals to decide if their students should sit exams in alert level 3 regions.
The Education Ministry directive sets strict conditions and is being applied by Auckland schools offering the Cambridge International Exams and the International Baccalaureate.
The ministry has been granting exemptions for schools wanting to bring small groups of students back to class during alert level 3 and since mid-September it had approved 16 of 17 applications from schools wanting to do so for exams.
It said the directive issued this week clarified the rules for running exams during alert level 3.
The directive said principals could apply for an exemption to offer exams only if in their opinion it was necessary to bring students on-site to sit exams in person.
It said students must be in bubbles of 10 and their bubble could not change for the entire examination period. During exams students must sit at desks 1.5 metres apart, and different bubbles could share the same space but must remain two metres apart at all times including outside of school grounds.
Auckland Year 13 student Stella Lynch welcomed the new rules though she said they would not allow some of her practical exams to take place.
“Definitely more reassured than I was a couple of weeks ago. It’s nice to know that some sense of normalcy can be reflected in terms of our exam series. However, I’m a little bit worried about some of the components that have had to be missed – they make up quite a big percent in terms of weighting for our final mark,” she said.
Stella said the rules about bubbles and distancing seemed difficult.
“I’m skeptical about that. I’ve been trying to run the numbers with my little sister and we were giving each other different scenarios like ‘well if this happens how will it work’ and I’ve got friends who we sit chemistry together but then we go apart to sit an accounting exam and a physics exam. I don’t understand quite how those bubbles are going to work,” she said.
Macleans College principal Steve Hargreaves said his school had a bubble of seven students sit a Cambridge exam earlier in the week thanks to a special exemption from the ministry and that experience showed the school would struggle to meet the new directive’s distancing requirements.
“Even keeping seven students apart despite the fact we had crosses on the footpath two metres apart and two supervisors with seven students it was still really difficult to make it work. And we know that as soon as they go around the corner from school the emotion of exams, having not seen friends for eight weeks, we know they are going to cluster in groups.”
Hargreaves said the directive also had a key clause that would prevent the school from offering exams at alert level 3 – a requirement that the principal believed it was necessary to conduct exams in person and on site.
He said he could not attest that the exams were necessary because there was an alternative.
“There’s a well-used alternative to exams that Cambridge provides called school-assessed grades. They’ve been used around the world in the last 18 months with tens of thousands of students so I can’t say that it is necessary. It might be preferable for some people, they might think that that’s of benefit to them but is it necessary? Well it’s not because we have an alternative.”
Auckland Grammar School headmaster Tim O’Connor said exams would go ahead at his school.
“Cambridge examinations can’t be sat online. The response from our community has been of overwhelming support that these examinations are taking place because everyone gets a fair crack at it rather than being awarded assessed grades from previous work.”
O’Connor said the rules for running the exams were very strict.
“That’s a logistical nightmare. One of our worst days we’ll have 104 classrooms being used, it’s in a morning and an afternoon session so 50 in the morning 50 in the afternoon type of thing. So that’s over 1000 students and you’re talking about 104 invigilators.”
But parent Carole Smith said it was an unnecessary risk.
“We know with the Delta variant that it is incredibly contagious and I’m not confident that especially kids, we’re talking about 16-17 year olds, will stick to their own bubbles. They’ll see their mates and go up to them and all the rest of it so I think it’s quite frankly a recipe for disaster,” she said.
Education Ministry associate leader pathways and progress Pauline Cleaver said under alert level 3 there was flexibility for Auckland senior secondary school students to sit exams onsite if the governing body of the school could provide evidence and attest in their application that they would meet public health requirements.
She said the latest direction further clarified the process, and the required public health conditions.
“We are not considering NCEA exams at this time because they’re not scheduled to start until November. Work is underway, led by NZQA in partnership with the Ministry, about the implications of different public health requirements for the running of national NCEA examinations,” Cleaver said.
