The Delta variant is a highly contagious Sars-CoV-2 virus strain. Video / Paul Slater
Living in alert level 3 and 4 lockdown comes with a unique set of rules, some of which are not always clear. In our new daily feature we answer questions from readers about anything Covid-related. Email covidquestions@nzherald.co.nz
When will another vaccine be here for New Zealanders who can't have Pfizer (for medical reasons) and what will it be? People are out there that want to have one so what is there for them, and when? Sarita W
A Ministry of Health spokesman said Medsafe had granted provisional approval for the use of the Pfizer, Janssen and AstraZeneca vaccines to be used in New Zealand but Cabinet also had to approve their use as they had done for the Pfizer one.
This month Cabinet is due to consider the use of the Janssen vaccine as part of the Covid 19 Immunisation Programme for when it becomes available to New Zealand in the fourth quarter of this year.
Medsafe is also currently considering an application for approval from Novavax.
All approved Covid vaccinations in New Zealand will be free.
The existing stock of intensive care beds throughout New Zealand are already being utilised at close to their capacity handling non-Covid cases. Hence if the present or any future outbreak results in a surge of cases requiring intensive care the system will not cope, which could potentially cause unnecessary deaths. What is the Government doing to increase the country's ICU capacity and what progress has been made so far? Peter B
Director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield has rejected criticism that not enough had been done to make sure hospitals had enough ICU beds and staff to cope with a possible influx of Covid-19.
Since last year the Ministry of Health has said the number of available ICU-capable ventilators has more than doubled.
However, according to ICU doctor Craig Carr, who is the New Zealand regional chair of the Australia NZ Intensive Care Society, staffing was now the problem.
"We now have more equipment compared with 18 months ago, but we actually have very few extra staff, and in some instances, we've got fewer staff," he said, adding he was speaking in a personal capacity.
In May last year, as the country was coming out of its first lockdown, a Ministry of Health paper found there were 334 ventilators and 358 ICU beds.
There are currently 284 fully staffed ICU beds across public hospitals, and the ministry says there are 629 ICU-capable ventilators, with 133 in the national reserve if required.
Bloomfield yesterday told RNZ there were enough ICU beds available in Auckland and around the country.
"At the moment our hospitals are about just under 80 per cent full, and our ICU beds just under 60 per cent full around the country."
Since March, training had been ramped up so more staff could work in ICU and more ventilators had been purchased and oxygen supplies increased, Bloomfield said.
"There's a real shortage of ICU trained staff around the world, and of course with our border closed that's added extra pressure on the ability to get extra staff.
"So we've been facing the same pressures that other countries have."
He said staff from hospitals in other regions were being asked to help their Auckland colleagues as the number of hospitalisations in the city rose.
I am due to fly to the UK in early September. Currently the airline can confirm the flight and NZ is a green listed country for the UK. But, what possible impacts do the NZ Covid alert levels (3 or 4) have on my departure? Sarah H
The only issue could come if the UK decided to move New Zealand from its green list to amber or red. However, given it has not yet done so in the weeks since lockdown was announced, it seems unlikely it would do so now.
As far as New Zealand restrictions go, you are still allowed to travel between regions in any alert level if you are heading to an airport to leave the country. You should, however, have a copy of your airline booking on you to show as evidence should you be stopped while entering or leaving a region.
I am wondering if it is true that New South Wales has not had a single case of outside transmission of Covid in their latest outbreak? Tom P
No. Officials believe a party at Blacksmith's Beach south of Newcastle on July 30 was the source of five cases of Covid-19 detected in the region.
The cases plunged the Hunter and Upper Hunter regions into lockdown.
It is believed there were people at the party from Greater Sydney who were the source of the infection.
The exact chain of transmission remains unclear.
NSW Health had previously reported no specific outdoor transmission of Covid except a crowded outdoor cafe at the start of the Bondi outbreak.
Victorian health authorities suspected outdoor transmission at the MCG, between strangers with no direct contact.
I require some clarification with regards to the wage subsidy. I went on to the Government subsidy website and noticed my employer had claimed the subsidy. What happens to the money because we have been already working from August 24 (essential work)? Michelle J
The subsidy must be used to pay employees - whether they are able to continue work during lockdown or not.
Employers who claim the subsidy must use their best endeavours to pay employees at least 80 per cent of their usual wages. If that isn't possible, they must pay them at least the subsidy rate (ie, fulltime or part-time).
If your usual wages are less than the subsidy, your employer must pay your usual wages. Any difference should be used for the wages of other affected staff.
The subsidy is paid into your employer's bank account and should be used to pay the next lot of wages/salaries.
During the current lockdown employers can only apply for two weeks' worth of wages at a time. They must reapply every two weeks during alert level 4.
