Coronavirus - New Zealand
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Landlords don't generally get into commercial property for any other reason than to make money, so it stands to reason that owning instead of leasing makes/saves you that money instead.
Auditor-General is investigating PPE - https://oag.parliament.nz/media/2020/ppe
Speaking of hypocrites...
According to the PM, the Health Minister will be basing himself in Wellington from Tuesday when Parliament reopens, so I'm sure he will get roasted then.
Incidentally, the upcoming long weekend must be the first time people are waiting for the end of a long weekend so they can go shopping, tramping and fishing...
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@Godder said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
Landlords don't generally get into commercial property for any other reason than to make money, so it stands to reason that owning instead of leasing makes/saves you that money instead.
Auditor-General is investigating PPE - https://oag.parliament.nz/media/2020/ppe
Independent review of the management of personal protective equipment
21 April 2020: The Auditor-General will provide an independent review of the Ministry of Health’s management of personal protective equipment (PPE) required for the COVID-19 response.
The Auditor-General has agreed with the Ministry of Health (the Ministry) to provide an independent review for the public and Parliament of the Ministry’s management of personal protective equipment (PPE) required for the COVID-19 response.Our review will include how the Ministry manages the stock of PPE, ensures an adequate supply, and distributes the PPE. We will assess the controls over procurement, distribution to district health boards and others, and controls over the stock levels. We will report on how the Ministry is responding to challenges and recommend improvements where appropriate.
Our focus will be on the Ministry’s approach from early 2020 and in response to COVID-19.
We will not physically inspect stock levels because our staff cannot visit storage locations in the current environment. We are not clinical specialists so our review will not cover the appropriateness of the Ministry’s clinical guidance on PPE use.
The Ministry has needed to move quickly to address the current needs. In particular, it has needed to set up new approaches to national reserves and stock levels, ordering, freight management, distribution, and advice on the appropriate use of PPE.
The Ministry’s priority is dealing with the COVID-19 situation and our work will be designed to minimise any disruption and use of Ministry staff’s time.
We expect to have completed our review in four weeks, and we will report publicly on our findings.
So you aren't going to physically inspect the PPE shortage, and freely admit that you aren't clinicians so you don't even know if the PPE you do have is fit for purpose?
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@canefan well it seems like there needs to be a pretty detailed accounting of what's being received and used. They've mentioned tiers of recommended usage for different situations so there's potential that gear is being used outside of that. But that's just pure speculation on my part. On that flexible with the truth bit, while they are the absolute top of the chain in terms of responsibility it's nigh on impossible that they'll have perfect info but I would agree that they'll put a positive light on things as best they can.
For all the issues, bottlenecks and the like this is a gnarly situation and it's not surprising that systems and planning has been found wanting. I mean we've had ongoing problems with our health system for ages (esp those very recent DHB bailouts) so it kind of makes sense. It isn't good and hopefully all of this pain and pressure means we sort some of that out. Not overly hopeful on that front though!
Last bit on Bloomfield and the political angle... I wonder if he'd have had less air time if we actually had a decent minister of health? Not sure on that given how prominent other countries chief medical officers/folks have been in fronting the media.
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@Paekakboyz I think I read about the health advisor in Sweden? He is basically front and centre while the PM takes a back seat at pressers? Makes sense, then the message comes direct from the source
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@canefan I can't read the article but are DHB's saying they don't have enough PPE or are the media giving anecdotal examples - because its the latter I hear at the pressers. Including gems like complaints that they don't have booties and caps. I know from my team some of them don't think they are being provided with enough PPE unless they are sent out in full bio-hazard suits
I don't think it is inconceivable that DHB's are being asked to put masks aside in case. In New York they are recycling masks. I can see how putting them through an auto-clave could sterilise them but don't know if they would still be serviceable.
I have heard Bloomfield give stock numbers before now and get very frustrated about the repeated questioning which is daily high on general accusations and totally devoid of detail.
Having said all that my partners mother was taken into hospital with a heart condition two weekends ago and was surprised that no one who treated her wore masks, but I guess given o COVID patients were being treated at the hospital at that time it was deemed unnecessary.
Isn't that the WHO guideline - masks are not useful unless you are symptomatic or treating someone who is?
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Must be frustrating to have ministers who say stupid shit during these times and it's doing nothing for the stereotype of 'business' being a dirty word within the Labour party.
Deborah was my tax lecturer at Massey. Seemed to truly believe she was the greatest person in the room at all times. Lectures often started late while she would finish listening to classical music. I think the most interesting point she made during the semester was that WfF was a completely stupid policy and should never have been initiated as once it's in it's really hard to be rid of it.
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@canefan Totally. I think she started her career as an auditor (surprise surprise) and then it's been filled with policy, academia and politics since. Problem here is that some people will see her as an accountant, which may be true, but she is completely divorced from the reality of running a SME as she would have had no experience in running one or offering advice to one.
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@Toddy said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:
@canefan Totally. I think she started her career as an auditor (surprise surprise) and then it's been filled with policy, academia and politics since. Problem here is that some people will see her as an accountant, which may be true, but she is completely divorced from the reality of running a SME as she would have had no experience in running one or offering advice to one.
Sounds like another person who couldn't cut it out in the real world...
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A nagging thought I've had for the last couple of weeks.
On the whole, Ashley Bloomfeld seems to be doing a very good job. However, he's so polished at dealing with media (and/or exceptionally well media trained) that I wonder if a few things get glossed over or missed that shouldn't be. Especially given the varying quality of the media pack and their approach to questioning.
On Tuesday, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said none of the patients in hospital were critical; yesterday he said they were stable.
Nicole was initially elated when she heard the briefing on Tuesday and thought her mother's condition must have changed since they had spoken to doctors that morning.
"I rang my dad to see if he had received a further update from the hospital, he hadn't. I rang the hospital and they confirmed she was still critical. This was a little heartbreaking," she said.
It made her question the accuracy of the information in the press conferences.
She worried people would not understand how serious the situation was.
Rest of the article at: http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/heartbreaking-southland-familys-covid-19-concern
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I quesitoned that after our first death in this thread about the seeming disparity of figures regarding ICU/stable/critical
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Regarding PPE, I went to donate plasma this morning and all staff are now wearing face masks and I did see some masks being disposed of, so it's not like they have to wear the same mask all day. If the NZ Blood Service have access to them I would find it hard to believe that doctors and nurses don't. Any problem seems to be with distribution/directives from the DHBs not with supply.
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Critical and stable are both medical terms and aren't mutually exclusive. Stable just means no change in condition, particularly deterioration, so it's possible to be both. That wasn't made obvious though and should have been.
Apparently another death in Southland - a 62 year old with underlying health issues. This is the youngest death in NZ and the first not in their 70s or older.