The wake-up call Kiwis needed?

Anew case of Covid-19 found in Northland is a gut punch for the region and the country but there may be a silver lining. This is simultaneously a stress test of our Covid-19 protocols and a wake-up call for complacent Kiwis, whose scanning behaviour has fallen to a ‘‘woeful’’ level, according to Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins.

It was inevitable that Covid-19 would slip into our community again. The globe is being ravaged by increasingly contagious variants of the vicious virus and transmission is at the highest levels yet seen.

The virus clearly does not care that most of the people who are locked down around the world are heartily sick of pandemic restrictions or that Kiwis slid from being Covid-cautious to a summer of ‘‘she’ll be right’’.

Thankfully, the infected woman who emerged from managed isolation in Auckland and then visited 28 businesses between January 14 and 22 used the QR scanning app at every single stop. That care could prove crucial in restricting the virus’ spread and even in preventing deaths.

However, her diligence only highlights the complacency of the 80 per cent of us who have slacked off on tracing app use from its high point.

We should all hope that the swift contact tracing enabled by her conscientiousness prevents a wider community outbreak but that seems optimistic. Because of our slump in scanning rates, there will be large data gaps around who else may have been exposed to the infectious woman at those 28 locations.

A widespread testing effort around Northland was promptly set up but will it be enough to prevent further community transmission?

The case is also a stress test of whether our managed isolation protocols are tight enough in the face of the increasingly contagious variants. No set of isolation protocols can ever be perfect, especially when so much is still unknown about this virus, but so far the managed isolation system has been largely successful.

But just as viruses evolve, so should our protocols, and this leak should prompt a thorough review of them.

That review would primarily be for health reasons but surely there is a political calculation to be made as well. Up until now the New Zealand public has been very forgiving of minor, but preventable, errors in managed isolation but that patience could evaporate quickly if our faith that the Government is totally on top of things is revealed to be unfounded.

This case will add heft to calls for a longer isolation period. Maybe it will result in the travel papers people are given post-isolation being amended to say go home and sit tight for another week.

Genetic testing expected to shed light on how this woman contracted Covid-19 may reveal gaps or slips in our managed isolation protocols and, to maintain high levels of public trust, the Government should continue to be transparent about what such testing shows.

Still, before we go grilling the authorities, we should all remove the stick from our own eyes, the better to see and use the location scanning app on our phones.

In a nod to MC Hammer, Stuff’s campaign is ‘‘Stop! Scanner time.’’ The parachute pants revival is optional; taking a few seconds to sign in and help protect your community is not.

So far the managed isolation system has been largely successful. But just as viruses evolve, so should our protocols, and this leak should prompt a thorough review of them.