New Zealand has dropped its COVID elimination strategy insisting the nation will learn to live with the virus
New Zealand officially abandoned its strategy of eliminating COVID-19 moving to ease some restrictions in the city of Auckland.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the nation will instead look to live with the virus while controlling its spread.
The Pacific nation was among just a handful of countries to bring COVID-19 cases down to zero last year and largely stayed virus-free until an outbreak of the highly infections Delta variant in mid-August frustrated efforts to stamp out transmission.
Health authorities reported 29 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, taking the total number in the current outbreak to 1,357.
The majority of the cases are in Auckland, which has been in lockdown for nearly 50 days
Amid mounting pressure, the Prime Minister has said her strategy was never to have zero cases, but to aggressively stamp out the virus.
Strict lockdowns will end once 90% of the eligible population is vaccinated
Under new changes in Auckland, people will be able to leave their homes to connect with loved ones outdoors from Wednesday, with a limit of 10 people.
New rules added to international arrivals:
The government also announced that all foreign nationals entering New Zealand will need to be fully vaccinated from November 1.
Travellers will have to declare their vaccination status when registering with the country’s isolation system and provide proof of vaccination or exemption to their airline and customs officers on landing, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said in a statement.
Those arriving in New Zealand will still have to spend 14 days in quarantine, and all travelers, except for those coming from locations with an exemption, will still need to show a negative Covid-19 test result within 72 hours of their first scheduled international flight.
Australia’s multimillion-dollar campaign to attract Hollywood productions to its shores appears to be paying off.
The allure of Australia lies not only in its picturesque locations but also in its competitive financial incentives.
The government offers generous rebates and tax breaks to international productions, making it an attractive proposition for filmmakers looking to maximise their budgets.
Despite the recent intake of Hollywood productions down under such as ‘The Fall Guy’ and ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’, Aussie independents are still finding the space to carve their own creative path.
Rob Fantozzi joined the program to discuss the latest in Hollywood, and showcased his own upcoming project – ‘Omerta‘. #featured
An international video portal has been forced to shut down after an OnlyFans model reportedly flashed passersby from across the globe.
On this episode of Ahron and Mike Live – Which would you prefer; pay rise or work perks, an international portal closes, the military reveal a submarine stingray and are you on a top or bottom burger bun?
Ticker’s Ahron Young & Mike Loder discuss. #featured #trending
American home prices are rising at faster pace now than in the last 20-years.
A recent analysis reveals a jaw dropping surge in the cost of American homes.
Since the start of 2020, U.S. home prices have surged 47% easily outstripping the gains seen in recent decades.
On top of that, home price growth so far this decade is on the verge of surpassing all the growth seen in the 2000s.
Many experts believe this decade’s housing market frenzy was ignited by a perfect storm — the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic triggering an unprecedented rush among buyers.
Tom Hutchens, the Executive Vice President of Production at Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions joins Veronica Dudo to discuss.
#IN AMERICA TODAY #economy #housing #housingmarket #homeprices #homesales #inflation #trending