The counter-point of course is that the pandemic was taking a decisive shift about this time as Omicron was starting to spread in South Africa, with the new variant revealed to the world on November 24. The ministry and Hipkins’ office had been repeatedly asked by journalists for this document to be made public. Hipkins said it was a ministry document so ultimately their call, and he didn’t think there was “any great conspiracy to keep the information private”. The World Health Organisation named the new Covid strain Omicron and classed it as a variant of concern on November 26. Last year a Stuff senior journalist wrote: “Health’s information gatekeepers are so allergic to journalists they refuse to take phone calls, responding (only sporadically) to emails.”

Source: Stuff April 20, 2022 03:58 UTC