In Dunedin on Sunday 01 November we’d attended Knox Church (Presbyterian) in the morning and as we were leaving I caught a glimpse of palm tree flowers in the garden. This is what we saw once we’d found our way to the palm which, by the way, isn’t native. Photos taken by Nigel.
– and –
Today it was announced a Covid case has surfaced via community transmission in Auckland, confirmed this morning, so that’s causing a stir. Tonight I saw on Twitter that Auckland University is advising students that exams scheduled for tomorrow will now be held online instead. Pity students/staff having to cope with this at the last minute.
At the Knox history page I’ve just read the steeple is 50 metres high!
Click on either photo to enlarge.
In New Zealand, microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles and illustrator Toby Morris collaborated to create outstanding animations that clearly explain Covid-related information – they’ve been doing them since soon after Covid first arrived in NZ. This is one of their later ones explaining the Swiss cheese/Emmental model for managing Covid-19 / CC-BY-SA-4.0 licence
Dr Siouxsie Wiles wrote a very interesting article about the Swiss cheese model and the layers and holes. Well worth a read.
Their other animations, released under the same Creative Commons licence, are available HERE.
I’m very conscious of the current exponential growth of Covid cases in many countries and horrified by what’s currently happening in the USA. My heartfelt wish is there would have been better leadership and far better attention to science. Sadly other agendas have taken precedence, way too many lives have been lost.
Text by Liz, photos by Nigel; Exploring Colour (2020)
Animated .gif as attributed in the text.
Exploring Colour 
Biden has already made preparations to implement “new” (for us) measures that should have been implemented many months ago. It’s certainly long overdue, and I hope and pray that it won’t be too little too late.
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Whatever they do seems so little … and even when Governors try to implement some genuine measures there’s so much opposition! What’s happening in the US is like a nightmare and yet so many people still voted for Trump anyway. Completely beyond my comprehension [throws hands in air].
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We should be so lucky as to have ONE new case. I am not disrespecting your concern but illustrating how awful the attitude towards the virus is in the U.S. Your country’s response put us, and many other countries, to shame. We can only hope that, a0, Trump concedes and allows the incoming Biden administration to be able to start to prepare for their response, b) that is is more effective than what we have seen so far, and c) those who don’t think they need to show concern for their fellow citizens see the light. I am worried that because there is a potential vaccine on the horizon people will not do what they should in the interim.
What fruit will those palm flowers produce? Maybe you can put some lime in a coconut. 🙂
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I hope that any other people in Aukland who are infected with Covid are traced quickly and that it’s nipped in the bud before it gets far. This has been such an awful time for so many – I do feel sorry for those students! That’s a very impressive palm tree!
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We’ll find out more today once they have more information, particularly genomic testing results. The palm tree was very impressive!
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It’s fascinating to see the difference in perspectives in our respective countries, Liz. You mentioned the concern about the single Covid-19 case in Aukland and I woke up to news that we set another record yesterday in the US with over 140 thousand new cases. There are fears that it will get even worse before it gets better. We are still doing church via Zoom and already are making plans to have all of our Christmas services virtually as well.
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The difference is very stark Mike. The majority here understand what’s at stake and are determined to stamp it out every time the virus raises its ugly head in the community. I saw about all those new cases and was deeply shocked, partly why I did this post. Your situation over there is very concerning – I know you’ll be very careful. With this, you can’t be *too* careful!
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Yes, way too many lived have been lost.
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