Two years of agile health responses
Covid isn’t done with us yet, as much as we’d like to move on — we have to protect our most vulnerable
Mandates won’t last forever and they will be removed when they’re not needed. But removing them now as we start the peak of Omicron is not the time.
It’s been more than two years since my first interaction with coronavirus. In January 2020 I was working with the Ministry of Primary Industries on regulations to allow for the carrying forward of rock lobster annual entitlement. China is the leading export market for live New Zealand rock lobster, accounting for around 98 per cent of all exports.
The outbreak of coronavirus led to the collapse of demand for live rock lobster in the Chinese market, particularly as it coincided with Chinese New Year.
At the time I didn’t expect that coronavirus would hit our shores in the way that it did — I’m not sure many people did.
The Government at the time moved to close our borders, first to China and then the rest of the world.
The alert level system was introduced and we locked down, opened up and delivered a vaccination programme that sees 95 per cent of New Zealanders doublevaccinated.
For many of us masks were things we only wore at costume parties.
Fast forward two years and we are still managing the impacts of Covid.
I know many people are over Covid, unfortunately Covid is not over us.
With record case numbers this week, now more than ever we need to keep working together to slow the spread of the virus.
I know, for many people, the increasing case numbers will cause some anxiety, but we are wellprepared for this.
Our high vaccination rates, boosters and public health measures like wearing masks and social distancing in some settings, means we can manage this outbreak while still being able to travel, see our family and friends, and go about our everyday business.
We have the lowest number of deaths and hospitalisations per capita.
Our containment measures have led to much shorter lockdowns. For example, the UK experienced 271 days in lockdown, in NZ we’ve had 71 days and our economy is in good shape.
There are some who will argue that, because Omicron is mild we should remove all restrictions, all health measures, open the borders and just “learn to live with Covid”.
It’s worth reflecting that while Omicron will be a mild to moderate illness for most people, for some it will be serious. It’ll be our older parents, grandparents or someone we know with compromised immunity who will be at greater risk of complications.
Having lost my 93-year-old grandmother over the summer, I for one am grateful for the collective efforts of her community, including her vaccinated care workers, to ensure that Covid never entered her home and she managed to live her final two years of life in dignity.
In the same way that we moved from the alert level system to the Covid Protection Framework, from masks on public transport only, to now in our schools, the Government’s response to Covid will adapt and change as the health advice and evidence requires us to.
Mandates won’t last forever and they will be removed when they’re not needed. But removing them now as we start the peak of Omicron is not the time.
In the House last week I echoed the words of the Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall when she said that Labour is in the fight against Covid because we believe that people’s lives are worthy of protection, because our old, young, or disabled are equally members of our community as they’re economically or politically empowered.
Our response was not a fluke and it was our collective efforts to think and care for others that has carried us through. Let’s keep remembering that as we navigate through this new chapter of Covid.