CHECKING IN MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
CONTACT tracing can be the difference between a three-day lockdown and months of rising cases and hospitalisations. Health authorities have refined the way they contact trace over the past two years. In the early days of the pandemic, checking in with QR codes was unheard of. The ability for governments to know where the next superspreader event could be was limited.
But today, contact tracing fundamentals such as using QR codes are playing a critical role in NT Health’s ability to trace and track where infected people have gone, who they may have mingled with and what restrictions are needed. From there, CCTV can help identify who is most at risk. We so far have a handful of exposure sites in the Territory, among them are major venues such as Monsoons Nightclub, Lola’s Pergola and the Katherine Club.
On any single evening these venues may see dozens or hundreds of patrons come and go.
This most recent outbreak is a timely reminder for Territorians to continue checking in as much as possible.
There are even QR codes for outdoor locations such as the Parap Markets.
Encouragingly, Katherine Club manager Alison Vincent said she estimated 98 per cent of the patrons who were at the venue when the positive case attended had checked in.
There have been times through the pandemic where Territorians have let their guard down and not checked in as religiously. It is almost understandable.
But the current outbreak demonstrates the situation can change relatively quickly and Covid can lurk for days in the community before it’s detected.
It is crucial at this moment that we continue to check in. In addition, the government needs to consider new measures to make sure contact tracing is as swift and painless as possible.
As this current lockout demonstrates, there is a real need for a platform that combines QR check-ins with vaccination status. Other states, such as NSW, already have check-in apps that integrate vaccination status, allowing users to know whether they are allowed access to venues under the current restrictions.
It allows businesses to more easily police patrons for their vaccination status.
In the meantime, Territorians need to be meticulous in keeping a record of where they have been, so we can keep each other safe.