Talk:Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand

Transmission timeline vs general timeline

At the moment this article is only a transmission timeline, as it was copied from the "Transmission timeline" section, but the title doesn't match that. Should some general timeline information be added ( e.g. alert level changes and announcements) or should it be kept a transmission timeline only?  Nixinova   T   C   01:20, 30 August 2020 (UTC)

• I think we should keep it as a transmission timeline for now. Some of the content in January and February would fit under Government responses in the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand article. I am also considering converting the paragraphs reporting cases into tables. Andykatib 08:17, 5 September 2020 (UTC)

Tables

Hi there, I am thinking about converting the paragraphs reporting the cases, recoveries and deaths into tables in order to keep the article at a manageable size. The table layout could consist of DATE | Confirmed cases | Probable cases | Recovered cases | Deaths | Active cases | Total deaths | Total recovered |Total cases | In hospital | Tests . There can either be a notes column to handle other information, or other information is simply kept as text while mentioning dates that can be cross-referenced with the table. I experimented with using tables in the Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia article, and that has helped keep the article at a manageable size. For the months of May and June, I can incorporate information relating to New Zealand. from the Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020 and June 2020 articles. Let me know if you are open to the idea of converting the NZ transmission data into tables. Also feel free to give feedback and suggestions. Andykatib 08:27, 5 September 2020 (UTC)

• Alternatively, we could do DATE | Confirmed | Probable | Recovered | Deaths | Total confirmed | Total probable | Total recovered | Total deaths | Active | In hospital . Let me know what works better? Andykatib 03:46, 6 September 2020 (UTC)
• Looking at the Malaysia article the refs should be placed in their own column. Tables may be a good idea; we could then remove the daily updates proselines and only have notable events, maybe with further expansion about each.  Nixinova   T   C   04:49, 6 September 2020 (UTC)
  • Yes, could create a separate column for the references. I agree that the tables will be a good way of reducing the proselines while keeping some paragraphs for important events. Andykatib 05:09, 6 September 2020 (UTC)
    • Hi everyone, have been working on a draft for the March table in my Sandbox. Before I implement it, I just wanted to get some feedback from other users. While the box saves space, it does rob the article of a good deal of information about who the early cases were. Let me know if the box is good enough or if it needs some work. Thanks. Andykatib 04:47, 10 September, 2020 (UTC)
      • I think the tables should only be for MoH summaries, all other info like who they were, what cluster, etc, should still be in prose. Also, info in the totals column should carry forward to the next day. The headings probably need work: maybe a superheading row with "New cases", "Total cases", etc. Em dashes (—) should also be used instead of hyphens.  Nixinova   T   C   04:57, 10 September 2020 (UTC)
        • Okay, am not quite sure how to do to that. How would it look like? I could probably only implement the tables from April onwards when we began using MOH data instead of just news articles. Andykatib 05:01, 10 September, 2020 (UTC)
          • I've added the superheaders to your sandbox, hope you don't mind. For before MoH data then just have one source giving daily data so we don't have 4 refs on one row.  Nixinova   T   C   05:58, 10 September 2020 (UTC)
            • Thanks, Nixinova. The table looks much better now. Will use one source per table, preferably the most informative source. Andykatib 09:59, 10 September 2020 (UTC)
              • Have replaced most of the data in the March section with a table. While it makes the information more organised, the chronological detail of the events is lost. Let me know if you are happy with the changes. If not, feel free to revert. The table might be more suitable for the later sections. Andykatib 02:00, 11 September 2020 (UTC)
                • Having tested the table, I have come to the conclusion that it may be more suitable for the later months when mainly Health Ministry sources are used. For March, most of the sources were news sources which wouldn't have all of the information that the Health Ministry ones do. Will work on the April one in my Sandbox. Andykatib 00:48, 14 September 2020 (UTC)

Yeah, the tables should and would only be a replacement for the "On day, X new cases" stuff, leaving all the other information, otherwise too much content is removed unnecessarily. Also, the content in the totals column should carry through to the next day, instead of "8, -, 12" etc.  Nixinova   T   C   00:52, 14 September 2020 (UTC)

Away over the weekend (25-27th September)

Hi there. I'll be away over the weekend between the evening of Friday (25th September) and Sunday afternoon (27th September). If anyone wants to take over the daily dates during that period, feel free to do so. Remember to archive them as well. Andykatib 06:11, September 22, 2020 (UTC)

I'll take that period.  Nixinova   T   C   06:21, 22 September 2020 (UTC)

• Thanks, so much Nixinova. Have a good week and take care. Andykatib 09:19, 22 September 2020 (UTC)

Away between 25-28 Nov

Hi there. I'll be out of Auckland attending a conference in Tauranga between 25 and 27 November. Will be back on the 28 of November. Might try and do some work on a public library computer or my iPad but may not have regular Internet access on a device with a wide screen and features. Feel free to continue the daily updates in my absence. I also update the NZ details for the Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in November 2020 and COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania articles. I usually use the Health Ministry's COVID-19 webpage and save it on Internet Wayback Machine. Andykatib 01:36, 22 November 2020 (UTC)

Condense for 2021

Going into 2021 we should probably start condensing new entries more, as having a couple imported cases per day will be the norm for a while. Maybe have weekly or monthly summaries instead.  Nixinova   T   C   03:01, 17 December 2020 (UTC)

Ping @Andykatib: as 2021 is tomorrow.  Nixinova   T   C   07:52, 31 December 2020 (UTC)

Hi @Nixinova:. Personally I prefer that we continue to follow how the Ministry of Health reports them. Since mid-December, the Ministry has shifted to issuing reports every second day. Another alternative would be to put the information in tables like the Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia article. Let me know what you think is better. Andykatib 19:06, 31 December 2020 (UTC)

Ah, the MoH is already condensing it for us. I think what is being done now is fine then.  Nixinova   T   C   00:14, 5 January 2021 (UTC)

Thanks @Nixinova:, will leave it this way for now. Happy to revisit the tables in the future. Andykatib 02:04, January 8 2021 (UTC)

Splitting 2020 and 2021 articles

Was wondering if we should split the current article into separate articles. For example, the Malaysian article has been split into two parts: Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia (2020) and Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia (2021). We could have a Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand (2020) and a Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand (2021). Other COVID-19 related timeline articles like those on the UK, Republic of Ireland, and US also split them by year or half a year. Andykatib 03:26, March 7, 2021 (UTC)

Now that the articles are split should we add the reactions timeline to these pages as well? Seems the best place for them.  Nixinova   T   C   04:25, 8 March 2021 (UTC)

Further splitting

I disagree with the further splitting into the half-year articles; it just made it more annoying to find and compare data. If the pages are getting too long then the tabular method of display suggested previously would be a better option than a split. Ping @Andykatib:  Nixinova   T   C   01:22, 30 August 2021 (UTC)

Hi Nixinova, just to clarify that it wasn't my idea to split the Timeline of the cases articles into half-year articles. That was @Love of Corey:, who did it without consulting anyone. I am open to the idea of displaying the results in tables while having paragraphs to provide written descriptions of the cases and outbreaks. Perhaps it will be good to including Love of Corey in our discussions. Andykatib 02:24, 30 August 2021 (UTC)

I've added the merge template to all the pages. Titles like 'February-June' are really annoying. The data should only be split to annual pages at most and if the pages are too long it should be condensed.  Nixinova   T   C   23:06, 20 September 2021 (UTC)

See also #Tables; I think I could use some regex to convert the current proseline into a tabular format without difficulty.  Nixinova   T   C   23:10, 20 September 2021 (UTC)

Good idea, go for it Nixinova, I think the tables will be a good idea. Also making the articles annual instead of six months will be good as well. Andykatib 11:37, 21 September 2021 (UTC)

I WP:BOLDly implemented the splits out of WP:SIZE concerns regarding the original articles. Anything that'll shorten the content to something that's more manageable is in the clear for me. Love of Corey (talk) 01:01, 26 September 2021 (UTC)

• To comply with the WP:SIZE requirements, I have started working on converting the material into tables, starting with April 2020. That is when the articles began citing the Ministry of Health's website primarily. I started editing the daily reports from April 2020. Have started working on a draft. Open to feedback. Andykatib 00:24, 2 October 2021 (UTC)
  • I have WP:BOLDly implemented changes to the April 2020 section of Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand (February–June 2020). The table data is based mainly on Ministry of Health daily reports. Plan to do the other articles over the rest of the year. Let me know what you think and feel free to help. Andykatib 09:01, 4 October 2021 (UTC)

    That section is good. I've improved the format of the table to be less plain and more readable, tell me what you think.  Nixinova   T   C   21:00, 4 October 2021 (UTC)

    • Thanks so much, @Nixinova:. This box is really good. Will use it as the basis for other tables. Later tables may use active cases instead of hospitalisations since the format of the report changes somewhere in October 2020. Will work on it throughout the rest of 2021. Andykatib 02:44, 5 October 2021 (UTC)

• Hi everyone, I have managed to finish rearranging most of the daily reports into tables, commencing from April 2020. Should we revisit the question of merging them back into separate articles for 2020 and 2021. The Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand (July-December 2021) article is a bit heavy towards the end because the August, October and November sections contain a breakdown of community cases by regions. Do you think it needs further condensing before sewing them back together? Andykatib 02:23, 14 October 2021 (UTC)

  I think that's definitely thin enough to be merged into articles for the years.  Nixinova   T   C   02:52, 14 November 2021 (UTC)

  • Okay @Nixinova:, can work on it later tonight or next week. Cheers. Andykatib 03:05, 14 October 2021 (UTC)

    • Will need a bit of help with the Alert Level tables at the bottom of the articles though. Andykatib 03:07, 14 October 2021 (UTC)
      • Have completed the mergers of the 2020 and 2021 articles. Will still need a bit of help with merging the Alert tables and graphs. Not sure how to do that so have posted both versions into the articles. Andykatib 23:58, 14 October 2021 (UTC)
        • Thanks! I've partially merged the alert level sections but the graph is not previewable so I'll leave that for later in a sandbox.  Nixinova   T   C   02:39, 15 November 2021 (UTC)

"in 2021" vs "(2021)"

The current title format isn't too natural, with the parenthetical disambig. Might it be better to use "Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand in 2021" instead of "Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand (2021)"?  Nixinova   T   C   02:13, 5 December 2021 (UTC)