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Checkpoint for Friday 20 August 2021
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Covid-19 lockdown remains for NZ until Aug 24
5:07 PM.The Covid-19 Level 4 lockdown is staying in place for all of New Zealand until at least 11:59pm Tuesday.
The outbreak has now grown to 31 community cases and spilled outside the city, with three… Read more Audio
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Covid-19 Delta in Wellington as rush for testing begins
5:09 PM.The Delta variant has made its way to the capital where there's been a rush on testing stations.
Our reporter Jake McKee joins Lisa Owen now from the Wellington CBD.
Read more Video, Audio
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Covid-19 in Auckland: Long waits for vaccinations, tests
5:13 PM.The surge in demand for Covid-19 tests in Auckland today forced some vaccination centres to close so that staff could be diverted to testing stations.
But as Ella Stewart reports, whilst many faced… Read more Audio
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Covid-19: The good news from North Shore Hospital
5:15 PM.North Shore Hospital is operating under strict Alert Level 4 rules, turning away new patients from its emergency department with many staff isolating after potentially being exposed to a Covid-19… Read more Video, Audio
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Covid-19 Minister looking into locations of interest delays
5:21 PM.Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told Checkpoint he will be following up with contact tracers about why there are delays getting locations of interest details onto the Ministry of Health… Read more Video, Audio
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Evening business for 20 August 2021
5:32 PM.News from the business sector, including a market report. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6268721962001 Video, Audio
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Helen Clark remembers close friend and colleague Sir Michael Cullen
5:35 PM.Sir Michael Cullen's life and legacy are being celebrated across the political spectrum today.
The former Deputy Prime Minister died in Whakatāne last night after being diagnosed with lung cancer… Read more Video, Audio
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Why some GPs can do Covid-19 tests and some cannot
5:42 PM.Thousands of people need to get covid tests as the locations of interest balloon.
But not all GP surgeries are offering swabs - forcing people to swamp community testing centres, where they have… Read more Video, Audio
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Covid-19 lockdown: Economic impact begins to bite
5:46 PM.The economic impact of lockdown is starting to bite.
In Auckland's CBD - a week of level four restrictions is estimated to cost at least $20 million in consumer spending.
Samantha Gee has more. Read more Audio
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Sydney faces another month of lockdown as Delta spreads
5:51 PM.Persistently high case numbers means- Greater Sydney's lockdown is extended by another month.
As Worldwatch's Perlina Lau reports - tougher restrictions are being enforced too. Read more Audio
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Rugby: All Blacks scrap Perth plans for Bledisloe Cup test
5:53 PM.The All Blacks have abandoned their plans to fly to Perth this weekend for the third Bledisloe Cup test - but say they remain committed to playing out the Rugby Championship.
The team was due to… Read more Audio
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What's being done to help those in need in lockdown?
5:56 PM.There's been a spike in demand for community service providers across the motu during lockdown.
Food parcels, take away lunches and advise to those in need is being given - and providers are… Read more Audio
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Three Auckland schools respond to Covid-19 Delta cases
6:08 PM.Three Auckland secondary schools now have Covid cases to deal with. Along with Avondale College, staff and students at Northcote and Lynfield Colleges have now been told to isolate and get tested.
… Read more Video, Audio
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Lynfield College principal asks for testing centre at school
6:11 PM.Lynfield College principal Cath Knell told Checkpoint she has asked officials to provide a pop-up testing centre at the school.
The big request from the community is for a pop-up Covid-19 testing… Read more Video, Audio
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Covid-19 testing not accessible for disabled community
6:17 PM.There are calls for accessible covid testing for the disabled community - with many struggling to get swabbed.
One woman says she was forced to dehydrate herself so she could spend hours in line for… Read more Audio
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Sir Michael Cullen remembered, celebrated across Parliament
6:20 PM.Tributes have been flooding in for the late Deputy Prime Minister Sir Michael Cullen.
He died last night in Whakatāne after being diagnosed with advanced lung cancer last year.
Sir Michael played a… Read more Audio
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Hundreds get Covid-19 vaccine at pop-up clinic in Dunedin
6:24 PM.Hundreds - including some of the first 12 to 15 years in the country - have been vaccinated against Covid-19 at a pop-up drive-thru clinic in South Dunedin.
Anxious to get their jabs amid the level… Read more Video, Audio