Expert urges mask use at airports

New Zealand’s two new cases of Covid-19 are not yet reasons to ring the alarm bell, says a leading Kiwi health expert.

University of Otago epidemiologist Michael Baker has, however, called for the Government to boost the use of face masks among staff and travellers coming into our airports as an extra safety measure.

Baker said it seemed the women at the centre of the new infection were well-known to health authorities and appeared to have been following careful processes to limit the risk of infecting others.

For the moment we could only rely on the limited details provided by director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield about the cases.

“This is very different from having cases in the community that appear unexpectedly,” Baker said.

“This definitely puts us in the more manageable end of the spectrum, so we just have to wait for more details about what the women did and who they may have come into contact with.”

Baker said a key question about the risk the women posed to NZ would be their use of face masks.

“Were these women wearing face masks throughout the entire journey on the flight, through border security and at all points after that? Because that is a key form of protection.

“New Zealand seems to be quite out of step with other countries around mask use.

“Certainly [masks should be used] around all travel into the country of people who may be infectious.”

Baker said he would feel much more comfortable if all staff at airports dealing with international arrivals wore masks.

“In most countries it would be mandatory to wear face masks on aircraft, in border and quarantine facilities, and where people are allowed to leave such facilities before their quarantine period has been completed,” he said.

“Mask use provides an important additional line of defence that New Zealand should be using.”

University of Canterbury associate professor Arindam Basu said the two new cases were an important reminder about the need to be vigilant.

“The fact that the one of them was ‘symptom-free’ highlighted the need for being cautious about asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic people,” Basu said.

“Overall, risks of new infections emerging within the community and emergence of clusters still remain low.

“This is a reminder that the pandemic is not over and none of us are safe until all of us are safe.

“So, hand washing, cough hygiene and, as far as practicable, maintaining safe distance and wearing a mask when attending large gatherings and in public transport are useful.”