City’s pandemic plan paints dire picture

Wellington was ready for 213 deaths, mass burials and roundthe-clock cremations, under a nowsuperseded pandemic response plan.

The previously confidential Wellington City Council pandemic plan, finalised in 2007, has been released to Stuff and paints a dire picture of what-could-have-been. It is not specific to Covid-19, and was written to cover a wide range of pandemics.

A plan said a pandemic could be expected every 40 to 60 years and could mean up to half of the council’s staff would be off work. Some council deaths were expected.

‘‘It is anticipated that Capital & Coast District Health Board will see 46,000 people affected by the virus with 975 hospitalised and 213 deaths,’’ the plan warned.

It said procedures were in place for unskilled workers to carry out burial and cremation services if skilled staff were not available.

‘‘Preparedness includes having chilled containers available. The two side-by-side cremators can work 24/7.

‘‘There is land ready for mass burials at Makara cemetery. All bodies would be held till paper work is done then either mass burial or cremation.’’

Council parks, sports and recreation manager Paul Andrews said the Covid-19 outbreak did not reach a stage where mass burials needed to be discussed.

‘‘It is our job to plan for the worst and work to achieve the best.’’

There was space at Makara for a mass grave though not an area specifically-designated, he said.

Council chief resilience officer Mike Mendonca said the report was used for avian and swine flu, and was rewritten in 2016. That report was essentially the same as the 2007 one.

‘‘We referred to the plan and updated before and during the measles outbreak, and it has been guiding us all the way through Covid-19. We provided it to several other councils. We are very pleased that we made this investment over the years, it has stood us in good stead.’’

The council put together a new response plan as Covid-19 arrived but this was quickly ditched in favour of a national plan.

The plan was written after the Ministry of Civil Defence and

Paul Andrews

Council parks, sports and recreation manager

Emergency Management and Local Government New Zealand urged councils in 2006 to plan ahead for a pandemic.

Guidance released by the ministry in 2006 warned a pandemic could affect up to 1.6 million people, require social distancing, result in significant absenteeism, and disrupt normal life throughout the country.

‘‘Pandemic influenza would be unlike any other form of emergency. It would almost certainly start overseas, it would be national in impact and therefore any locallevel action would have important implications.’’

Councillor Fleur Fitzsimons, who has the public health portfolio, credited the leadership of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield for avoiding the worst-case.

But in small matter it appears coronavirus has had bigger disruption than anticipated.

Under the 2007 plan, the Wellington tip would remain open to the public but recycling would be stopped and the recycling shop would close. As it eventuated, the tip closed to all but commercial dumping under level 4 lockdown.

‘‘It is our job to plan for the worst and work to achieve the best.’’