Chappell-Hadlee series cancelled due to Kiwi quarantine concerns

OK. The WA borders no longer open the day after the series was due to finish :laughing:

If you've paid for last year and this year, talk to them, as you may be able to get a payment holiday for next season. Last year they introduced the option to take a 12 month break, without having to go back on a waiting list. If you have paid for both years, it would be worth asking the question - current membership levels don't go close to filling the allocated members seating in Perth Stadium, so they may well be open to giving you access next season, without paying.

Are the scared Australia will flog them and take back top spot on the ODI rankings? Now first in tests, could become 1st in ODI and current T20 WC champs. That’s a fair resume for Justin Langer.

Think McGowan just raised the stakes after yesterday.. your turn Jacinda

Or how many and I’m using South Africa as an example here , were admitted for other conditions and as testing is mandatory for all in-patients , only became aware of their Covid status once admitted. Some will have died in hospital for whatever reason but it’s recorded as a Covid death . I am close to a few people who work in hospitals in Johannesburg who all claim that the Covid wards are not emptying , they are empty . This despite only 23% of the population being vaccinated. South Africans are extremely resistant to vaccinations despite them being free and easily available. As for buying time to prepare hospitals , I find it hard to logically believe that at this stage of the pandemic they are not fully geared all the time . The examples from the UK , USA and South Africa those hit hard by omicron is conclusive . Hospitalizations are down despite infections rapidly increasing . An estimated 75% of South Africans have contracted Omicron and the Delta version here has all but ceased to exist . Hence my viewpoint and that’s an increasing number of credible medical voices supporting it namely that omicron may well advance the end of this pandemic and a new approach and conversation by those countries attempting to control it is necessary. However politicians are civil servants and flexible , creative thinking long suppressed if they ever had it at all .

Thanks Tempo. Then it's all about the hospital resources and the government's risk profile.

"We know that closing borders , restricting travel will not stop the spread .Only delay it . More than enough countries globally will confirm that . So why persist with the policies and isolationism when we absolutely know they ultimately will not achieve their objectives ." You've answered your own question there. The delay is necessary to get the hospital system in order and vaccinate as much as possible. The idea is drip feed the caseload to not overwhelm hospitals, where the risk is not only COVID deaths, but under-resourcing leading to issues in other medical areas. So for example, QLD waited until vaccinations were in place, then opened. then as cases take off, they've delayed school by two weeks, knowing that will cause another spike - to try and spread the peaks and keep the hospitals running. And the vaccines are not as effective against Omicron, I agree. however they are still effective. It is not all or nothing. I've heard 66% efficacy for double vaxxed and higher for triple vaxxed. It is still effective in reducing hospitalisations, if not cases. so that's the game. Today in NSW 50% of deaths were unvaxxed, despite that being only 5% of the over 16 population. Therefore vaccinations are having an effect. Other studies have shown unvaxxed 6 times more likely to end up in ICU with Omicron than vaxxed. It would be great if they released how many of those deaths and people in ICU have Delta vs Omicron.

What you are missing is that Omicron is five times as infectious as Delta due to its mutated protein structure. If this virus continues to mutate, it's highly likely that all vaccines will be ineffective.

I know you are a fact guru Matth, and I think it’s pretty well established now that the vaccinations offer little protection against Omicron. A quick glance at Israel’s current situation proves that . We know that Omicrons symptoms are mild . Yes people may still die . Those elderly and Or in poor health are vulnerable even to ordinary flu . We know that closing borders , restricting travel will not stop the spread .Only delay it . More than enough countries globally will confirm that . So why persist with the policies and isolationism when we absolutely know they ultimately will not achieve their objectives . And finally we totally know that Wherever Omicron has rapidly spread it completely dominates and eliminates the far more deadly delta variant . In many ways it’s a positive development that’s been ignored in the misguided interests of doing the right thing .

Too much trust in the miracle vaccine . Try telling that to Israel’s citizens . The highest vaccinated country on the planet with most citizens now on their 4 th booster yet experiencing a record upsurge in Omicron infections . What am I missing here . Well at least Pfizer , J & J etc must be delighted . Record upsurge in bank balances too .

NZ is at 76% but that's total (0+) population. The equivalent figure for Australia is 78%, so not much different.

Need a replacement of sorts - Sri Lanka or... Aus A vs Aus. Time to start really testing out who could be the next ODI team.

Yep, took my brother 3 or 4 goes to get in through the lottery.

For most jurisdictions still using lockdowns, it's purely based on an assessment of whether their hospital system will cope. QLD locked down until they got to 85% vaxxed, most do the same. NZ were slow to get vaccinated (don't know what their rate is now? 76% of the population or so?) and I'm not sure on the state of their hospital system and ability to cope with case surges.

It's a great way to meet people with questionable judgement :laughing: :laughing:

Thank you nics. Matths is a really cool thing :stoked:

Look at the 60 so far to get a decent sample size. then don;t present the numbers but the %'s. Then you will find the unvaccinated at between 6 and 10 times more likely to die.

It's not a great step forward for the 60 plus who have died in QLD so far in January. But I guess it's okay if you don't know them.

There have been 62 people dead so far in a month in QLD straight after opening the boarders. Maybe that is what NZ is focusing on?

Let's invite Ireland and Zim over for a tri series.