I’m at a live sporting event with 40,000 people

[FenceFuckery]

It’s WEIRD. Zero social distancing or masks or anything. The whole stadium just gave essential workers a standing ovation. It’s strangely emotional!

Kind of crazy to think this is one of the largest gathering of people at any point around the world right now.

Fence I'm glad you enjoyed the event! NZ has dealt with Covid19 amazingly well.
Posters sniping on here feel it's a bad reflection on Boris and they're right, it is. We could have been much closer to an NZ situation if our government had acted as quickly and decisively but they refuse to accept that the UK could have closed airports, could have implemented strict quarantine and could have locked down sooner. Presumably they get a badge in the post from Boris for their commitment to 'protecting' his reputation and ignoring inconvenient truths

If only the UK had a government like New Zealand.

This type of comment makes me cross.

The U.K. population is more than 10 times that of New Zealand. It's relatively easy to keep track of the whereabouts of 4m people. Not so when you're dealing with close to 70m.
The population of Auckland is only 1.5m ish, and Christchurch about 400k.
There are more people (double) in London than there are in the whole of NZ, living much more closely together.

NZ is far away from other countries, even Australia is a 5 hour flight away.

The UK is a commercial and recreational travel hub between Europe and elsewhere.

There is no comparison.

She said New Zealand. Personally, by the time that's allowed to happen here, I think I'd be too frightened to go

And this is the problem our government now have. They together with the media have done such a good job at creating the mass anxiety people are now displaying in order to hammer home their 'Stay Home, Save Lives, Protect the NHS' mantra that people here are now too fearful to do anything remotely resembling normal, the thought of even stepping out of their front door is too much for some incase they catch it and die! Its become ridiculous.

Remember, we may never have a vaccine and corona will be a part of life. We have to learn to live with it and that includes big crowds and events.

In all probability we will have mass vaccinations before this winter (in the northern hemisphere) is through. A number of vaccine trials are progressing really well and the recent discoveries about the likely cross-immunity to SARS, MERS and Covid is the most encouraging news of all. We're not there yet but the work that has been done since such cautionary proclamations in March has been mammoth. A vaccine is not only likely but likely really quite soon.

In all probability we will have mass vaccinations before this winter (in the northern hemisphere)

There still isn't a vaccination for SARS after how many years?? so clinging on to the hope that we will all be vaccinated by the end of the year is helping no-one. Just becuase they are making good progress doesn't mean it will come to fruition. Vaccines take years to develop and something rushed out without proper longterm testing of all the variables will likely cause far more problems by way of side effects than it will solve.

I wish I were home! Enjoy OP, I'm proud of what my country has achieved, and all 5 million that helped make it happen.

We raised a glass of Marlborough Sav Blanc as we watched the clip of the rugby on the News.

NZ went hard, went fast, and brought it on home. Yes, that was possible because of a fortunate set of geographical circumstances - but it was also because of decisive, positive, compassionate, honest, and transparent leadership that engendered easy and willing compliance, that didn't treat the general populace like ignorant, credulous fools, to be led unquestioningly round by the nose.

And yes, the next step is going to be a hell of a challenge. Like it will be for everybody.

It'd just be nice to be getting realistically and honestly even close to the first step!

@pennylane83

In all probability we will have mass vaccinations before this winter (in the northern hemisphere)

There still isn't a vaccination for SARS after how many years?? so clinging on to the hope that we will all be vaccinated by the end of the year is helping no-one. Just becuase they are making good progress doesn't mean it will come to fruition. Vaccines take years to develop and something rushed out without proper longterm testing of all the variables will likely cause far more problems by way of side effects than it will solve.

Because SARS stopped in its tracks without a vaccine so vaccine trials were shelved. They used the research from SARS as a starting point for SARS CoV - 2. There is every chance a useable vaccine will be developed in the next 6 months - human trials are already occurring.

There still isn't a vaccination for SARS after how many years??

As the post above me points out, it's because we never needed one. SARS was self-limiting. MERS was self-limiting. A vaccine was never needed for either, so attempts to create them dwindled away. A MERS vaccine was actual quite close to completion but shelved. But all of the research that was done for them have formed the basis for the current vaccine trials. We also have unprecedented levels of work being done on these vaccines. And mass production of more than one of the potentials are already underway. If large scale trials are successful, mass vaccination of the most vulnerable can begin almost immediately.

Sure, they might all fail and all of the mass produced vaccines will have to be destroyed. And governments must plan for a future with no vaccine. But the odds at this point are stronger that at least one will be good enough to start vaccinations in winter 20/21. The 'we might never have a vaccine' caution was reasonably sensible back in March. But here in June, we are well passed that being even remotely likely, with the greatest likelihood being very good news, reasonably soon.

At this point I pretty much believe that the worst case scenario we're looking at is no vaccinations by Christmas but the knowledge that they will be beginning in Jan/Feb. So a muted Christmas, while comforted by knowing a bigger celebration is on the cards soon.

We always go to a big horse racing meeting in November crossing fingers we will get there but losing hope tbh.

Us too, @EnlightenedOwl ... fingers crossed for that first Tuesday. It certainly is looking more positive than it was.

In all probability we will have mass vaccinations before this winter

Doubt it, not a properly tested one, like other vaccines.
It would be a big risk to mass vax populations with something that has not been tested properly and im sorry, there is no "they wont skimp on testing". They are simply by rushing it given most have at least a decade of testing, research behind them. Plus we all know when you rush anything, its more likely mistakes made and things overlooked
What is the affect of any possible vaccine in the body long term? I woudnt be putting it me or dd till its got long term testing and results.. I know of many who wont trust a rushed vaccine.

Aw that's fab OP! V jealous of you going back to normal (and the Guernseyites too)

squeekums Most vaccines don't have at least a decade of research, testing and research behind them. Many years might be spent developing candidate molecules but the clinical trials required for EMA and FDA approval are relatively short in duration. The long-term safety data come from ongoing reporting and monitoring of the vaccine in real-world use. The regulatory bodies are not going to approved a vaccine for use without a rigorous review of all of the available efficacy and safety data.

I know of many who wont trust a rushed vaccine.

Unless you and your daughter are actively shielding you are not likely to be offered it to start with. Those who need it most will be. And for those people the risks of a vaccine (like the 0.006% chance of developing narcolepsy that occurred with the rushed Swine Flu vaccine) are infinitesimal compared to the much, much, much bigger risks of there not being one. If the choice is between living your life holed up and always at some risk if even your family visit and certainly never able to get back to the active social life you used to have. If you are someone who realistically has under a decade left to live anyway..... What you are missing out on now and the proportion of your the life you have left to enjoy gives a completely different perspective.

The risks aren't even just the virus but the risks associated with living in a world living alongside the virus as opposed to one in which it's eradicated. My nearly 90yo grandmother had an accident a few days ago that meant she was taken alone to hospital. Had to wear a mask and communicate with people wearing masks even though her hearing is really bad now. Couldn't have anyone with her to help her communicate. She couldn't have someone stay with her, to help her with toileting needs. Had to face potentially bad news all alone and wait hours struggling to comprehend what she might be facing and what it would mean for her while she waited for further tests that thankfully showed she was ok. But if she had been injured as badly as they initially feared, she would have had to stay alone for weeks/month, possibly through surgeries, without family to help her. I'm not sure she would actually have survived that experience.

As a youngish, healthish person who is probably immune and with a very healthy, very young DS who is probably immune I do consider myself enormously lucky to not have to make a choice when I am offered the vaccine. I won't be offered it in the early stages and by the time I am offered it, there is an extremely good chance that I'll know I'm not a transmission danger to anyone anyway. But as with every vaccine, we all have to always remember that the vast majority of the time, the people who can be vaccinated aren't necessarily the people who need to be vaccinated. Vaccination is so often, an act of selflessness. Refusing a vaccine is an act of selfishness. Sometimes we have to to be selfish and it can be the right, valid choice. But the decision to vaccinate/not vaccinate should never be taken by only weighing up the risks to you and yours but the risks to you and yours versus your responsibility to share the privilege of your health with those who need it most.

Rushing through a vaccine is not the same as skimping, it's just doing things faster. Though I appreciate there's no getting round the need to wait for a certain period before you know whether it's effective/has side effects etc.

@vanillandhoney

Why are people bringing up Cheltenham?

If New Zealand has no activate case and no infections, then how can it be spread?

God knows why the Cheltenham fixation Cheltenham went ahead as perfectly legal and within govt advice to. More hysteria I guess

My dad lives in New Zealand, and I just cannot believe how much things have gone back to almost completely normal for them compared to us here. It feels like I’m ringing him from Prison every time we video chat!!

@SusieOwl4 Being a bit pedantic here but there have been 30000 deaths in the whole of NY State not NYC. The population of NYS is 20 million. There have been around 17k deaths in NYC itself, which is still way too high but still.

Well done Nz! And Aus too! I think being cautious about opening borders and lifting restrictions is sensible. At least they have more local freedom.

I thing two things missed in the discussion here is, aside from no (nz) or low community transmission (Aus) of the virus the track and trace efforts are huge and ready. Infections that pop up are being effectively "ring fenced". Track and trace is key to NZ (and soon parts of Aus) successes in limiting the ongoing c19.
Also testing is really and readily accessible ( and has been this way quite early on).
Combined with large scale testing (in comparison to % of population) it honestly makes no sense for NZ not to resume "normal life"

Nz/Aus is not comparable to UK (prob more comparable to Channel Islands) but it doesn't discount the absolute joy in life for some lucky folks resuming to a new normal! Hope you had a great time OP!

If only the UK had a government like New Zealand.

This type of comment makes me cross.

This poster then trotted out the usual comments about NZ's population being so much lower, it being far away from other countries etc. What does that have to do with the government - oh, that's right, absolutely nothing!! Of course NZ is going to have much less cases and deaths than the UK, no-one can deny that, but the fact is our government handled the whole thing so much better.

We had clear concise directions to follow, we knew what we were supposed to be doing, and when. Contrast that with all the MN threads every time an announcement was made, with "can I do this, can I do that, I know I'm, not supposed to but I'm going to do it anyway". Right up until recently anyone could enter the UK and be on their merry way, no questions asked - unbelievable! We had community testing early on, and anyone with even just one symptom was sent for a test.

The UK seemed to think they were "special" and couldn't do what other countries did - meanwhile the rest of the world (not just NZ) looked on in horror at the shambles.