The Chinese

[Oldfellah]

A leading Kiwi epidemiologist says rapid antigen testing (RAT) before people board planes from China would help protect passengers from coronavirus infections on flights.

But he doubts there is any point in reintroducing testing for Covid-19 at our borders.

The scale of the Covid-19 outbreak in China has prompted some countries to impose new travel rules, although there are no plans to reintroduce Covid-19 tests at New Zealand’s border once residents of China are free to travel overseas and return without quarantine next month.

So we are going to get all the Covid-19 infected Chinese come into New Zealand and pass it on to us, makes you wonder if all the lockdowns and Isolation we did and not letting our own back into the country etc. was worth it if this is going to happen with no restrictions. As far as Im concerned its a bloody disgrace!!

[Lilith7]

Yep, I think more stringent measures may be required; at the very least testing those arriving from overseas.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Yep, I think more stringent measures may be required; at the very least testing those arriving from overseas.

Mask up, social distance, avoid crowds, wash hands, stay vaxed... It is all we can do.

[nzoomed]

Yet the USA is ironically requiring testing for all passengers entering from China.
I dont think that it really is going to matter much with the amount of heard immunity the rest of the world has.

Because china has been implementingtheir zero covid policy for so long, their population still has not received natural immunity.
It's china that should be worried, they have alot of the workforce off work sick at the moment, there is little threat to the rest of the world with any new strains.
I was unwell the other week with covid symptoms, but after several RAT tests they all came back negative, im starting to wonder if the new strains don't pick up as positive on the RAT tests anymore??

[Oh_hunnihunni]

A young friend of mine got covid three weeks ago. She had a bad time with it, and while she now tests negative she is left with a really horrid wet cough.

That sort of cough would kill me.

Mask up and stay safe...

[paulw]

Cindy wants another "Look I saved you" lockdown again before the election hence no testing of Chinese coming into NZ.

[king1]

Cindy wants another "Look I saved you" lockdown again before the election  hence no testing of Chinese coming into NZ.

I thought I had heard they wouldn't be doing any more lockdowns?

[Oldfellah]

Cindy wants another "Look I saved you" lockdown again before the election  hence no testing of Chinese coming into NZ.

It wouldn't surprise me

---

Cindy wants another "Look I saved you" lockdown again before the election  hence no testing of Chinese coming into NZ.

I thought I had heard they wouldn't be doing any more lockdowns?

Never trust a politician

[king1]

sounds like the PM will be damned if she does and damned if she doesn't

[king1]

So Australia and US are now requiring testing for Chinese travellers - how long do you think it will be before NZ follows suit?

[Lilith7]

sounds like the PM will be damned if she does and damned if she doesn't

But of course. That is how the right operate when in opposition, after all....

A left govt could save the planet, cure cancer, end poverty world wide - & still, it would be terribly wrong in their eyes.

[Zurdo]

Commies, they are all Commies. The Right have been fighting Commies ever since they invented them.

[Olive]

sounds like the PM will be damned if she does and damned if she doesn't

That's been the case for a long time courtesy of right wing misogynists.

[nzoomed]

So Australia and US are now requiring testing for Chinese travellers - how long do you think it will be before NZ follows suit?

I honestly don't know what testing is even supposed to achieve, apparently the main strain of covid in China is still BA5 which NZ already has largely had. 
It's not like we are going to quarantine them either if they test positive, so I'm not exactly sure what's the point of it all?

[Olive]

So Australia and US are now requiring testing for Chinese travellers - how long do you think it will be before NZ follows suit?

I honestly don't know what testing is even supposed to achieve, apparently the main strain of covid in China is still BA5 which NZ already has largely had. 
It's not like we are going to quarantine them either if they test positive, so I'm not exactly sure what's the point of it all?

It's pre departure testing that is under consideration, so it would decrease the number of positive cases arriving in NZ and also reduce the number of infections on the planes.

I don't know that any information being released from the Chinese authorities can be 100% trusted, especially in respect of new mutations.

[Lilith7]

I honestly don't know what testing is even supposed to achieve, apparently the main strain of covid in China is still BA5 which NZ already has largely had. 
It's not like we are going to quarantine them either if they test positive, so I'm not exactly sure what's the point of it all?

It's pre departure testing that is under consideration, so it would decrease the number of positive cases arriving in NZ and also reduce the number of infections on the planes.

I don't know that any information being released from the Chinese authorities can be 100% trusted, especially in respect of new mutations.

I'd agree with that; the Chinese tend to be less than forthcoming with information when it suits them.

[zqwerty]

All academic now, Australia is not going to test incoming Chinese and nor is New Zealand, economic considerations are paramount.

[nzoomed]

I honestly don't know what testing is even supposed to achieve, apparently the main strain of covid in China is still BA5 which NZ already has largely had. 
It's not like we are going to quarantine them either if they test positive, so I'm not exactly sure what's the point of it all?

It's pre departure testing that is under consideration, so it would decrease the number of positive cases arriving in NZ and also reduce the number of infections on the planes.

I don't know that any information being released from the Chinese authorities can be 100% trusted, especially in respect of new mutations.

I dont trust china either, but I believe there is enough data from genome sequencing from all the cases tested from travellers who have left china.
I wouldnt be surprised to see some new strains emerge as this virus spreads across china though. They are likely to have a few waves.

[Lilith7]

I think this is a mistake & we should be testing those arriving from wherever there's been a recent outbreak.

[Oldfellah]

I think this is a mistake & we should be testing those arriving from wherever there's been a recent outbreak.

I strongly agree