Vigilance as necessary as the vaccine

With vaccinations for Covid-19 coronavirus rolling out and the country at level 1, there’s much for which we can be grateful. The current Valentine’s Day cluster from Papatoetoe was updated to nine cases with another one added yesterday but Covid Response Minister Hipkins said he was not worried about another outbreak, as the case was within an already-known cohort.

Reassuring words but they do not entirely mollify.

Research just published in the Journal ofthe RoyalSocietyofNewZealand offers some new insights into how Kiwis view the measures at the core of our elimination strategy.

Although most believe staying home was effective when someone was sick with severe symptoms, there was slightly less agreement in regard to mild symptoms.

“This speaks to the need to be clear in messaging that staying home is effective for all symptoms. . .” the research co-authors wrote.

About half of participants reported having trouble physically distancing.

“Key reasons behind this included being an essential worker, and challenges related to the behaviour of others and inability to distance in some public places.”

It also found physical distancing — and support for it — fell away as alert levels declined.

Covid Tracer app data showed that, while new cases sparked a surge in the number of active devices from just under 400,000 on February 13 to just over 900,000 on February 17, the numbers had been coming down since.

Each of the latest leaks have been preceded by lapses in general vigilance, despite repeated warnings.

The Covid-19 Response Minister received a briefing from officials in early January which stated our managed isolation and quarantine facilities wouldn’t cope with a prolonged community outbreak.

Meanwhile, New Zealand coasted towards the inevitable.

Over the summer months, the usage of the Covid19 tracer app nosedived from a high of 2.5 million QR code scans a day in August last year to only 500,000 in January.

Oh, it quickly picks up after news of a community case, but let’s be honest with ourselves — this is too reactive.

Tracking movement matters most in the two-orso weeks before a case is notified.

Though we are building an arsenal of weapons to fight this wily interloper, the greatest weapon we hold is vigilance.

We need to be aware this invisible invader could be among us already.

Keep tracing, washing hands regularly, wearing masks on public transport and keep your distance.

Covid loves complacency, it’s the very thing it relies on to continue to exist.

Do not be lulled. The virus isn’t.

This newspaper is subject to NZ Media Council procedures. A complaint must first be directed in writing, within one month of publication, to formalcomplaints@nzherald.co.nz.

If dissatisfied, the complaint may be sent to the Media Council, P O Box 10-879, The Terrace, Wellington 6143. Or use the online complaint form at www.mediacouncil.org.nz Include copies of the article and all correspondence with the publication.