The Wire with Caeden

When it is reported that a fully vaccinated person has caught Covid-19, there tends to be confusion as to how it happened. News and Editoral Director Jemima Huston wanted to provide some clarification about what it means to be vaccinated. 

Jemima speaks to Dr Nikki Turner, Director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre at the University of Auckland, about some common concerns surrounding Covid-19 vaccines. As an expert in the area, she clarifies that you can catch Covid-19 when you are vaccinated, as the vaccination only takes the sting out of the virus and significantly reduces the risk of a person getting severely ill or dying from Covid-19. She also provides clarification as to whether the vaccine protects against the Delta variant, whether it’s normal to feel unwell after being vaccinated and if it’s safe to follow through with your vaccine appointment during the national Level 4 lockdown. 

Disclaimer: This piece went to air at 12pm on August 19 2021. At this stage only 10 commnuity cases had been detected in New Zealand's Delta outbreak. 

Today on the Thursday Wire, Jemima Huston is hosting from the station while Conor Head-McCarthy and Charlie Parker produce from home. 

Jemima speaks to Director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre at the University of Auckland, Dr Nikki Turner, to clarify some of the confusion around catching Covid-19 after you have been vaccinated, whether the vaccine protects against the Delta Variant, feeling unwell after being vaccinated and following through with your vaccine appointment during the national Level 4 lockdown. 

For Neighbourhood Watch, Conor speaks to Radio Adelaide’s Zoe Kounadis about the Delta outbreaks in Australia and here in New Zealand, the Afghanistan crisis and debt collectors in Australia chasing people for money on behalf of the government. 

Amnesty International Executive Director Meg de Ronde talks to Jemima about the organisation's petition that calls for the government to provide safe passage for people fleeing from Afghanistan. 

Conor investigates support for family volence and mental health during lockdown here in New Zealand. He speaks to Holly Carrington, Policy Advisor at SHINE, and Anna Elders, Clinical Lead at Just a Thought, about this. 

Charlie speaks to Debra Ashton, the CEO of animal right’s charity SAFE, to discuss the welfare of horses in equestrian sports, animal rights and the future of equestrian.

Professor Miguel Quiñones-Mateu, of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, is part of an international team investigating how wastewater can be used to get a more accurate picture of COVID-19 cases in low-to-middle-income countries. 

Led by Otago and Western University, Canada, the project involves researchers in Uganda, Ghana, Colombia, Venezuela and Fiji. They are trying to gain an understanding of infection in the populations and look for emerging variants of concern.

Zazi asked Professor Quiñones-Mateu about the details behind the investigation: how it is conducted, why it is significant for low-to-middle-income countries, and whether there are benefits that go beyond COVID-19. 

Last week, Research NZ released the results of a survey about the state of New Zealand homes. It asked respondents whether they owned or rented their home and to rate their home on several ‘decent home factors’. On the Wire this Wednesday, Frances Wright spoke with Emanuel Kalafatelis, Research New Zealand’s managing partner, about the results of the survey and the clear social division it shows.