Yesterday the government announced that face masks worn in the red setting must be medical, surgical or three-layer cloth masks rather than scarves, t-shirts or other face coverings. They are also expected to announce the next two phases of their Omicron response, including incorporating rapid antigen tests (RATs) more into New Zealand's testing strategy.
News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston speaks to ACT Party Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden about the government's latest change to mask mandates under the red setting and bringing in the more regular use of RATs.
Today on the Tuesday Wire, Jemima Huston and Emily Bell speak to educators about returning to classrooms during the Omicron outbreak. Emily interviews Stephen Lethbridge, President of the Auckland Primary Principals' Association, about how schools are operating under the red light setting and Jemima speaks to educators Liv and Chris about how Covid-19 has impacted their work and how they are feeling about heading back to in-person learning this year.
Jemima follows up on her piece last week about the impact of the red setting on the arts, music and events industry. As there has not yet been any targeted government support made available, Jemima talks to freelance tour manager and promoter representative Sarin Moddle about where people should go for help. They discuss what resources are available for people working in arts, music and culture right now and how the public can support the industry.
Emily interviews the National Coordinator for the Public Transport Users Association Jon Reeves about the government's project plan for the Auckland City Light Rail.
Finally, Jemima talks to Event Producer for the Auckland Lantern Festival Eric Ngan about the history of the event and its online launch today.
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