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Epidemiologist Sir David Skegg is concerned about the level of complacency that the public and the government are showing towards Covid-19 since the country returned to alert level 1.
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The Chief Health Officer says Labor Weekend is not a time to stop taking the virus seriously. Source: 1 NEWS
It follows revelations that an infected person unknowingly visited an Auckland pub on Friday 16 October, as well as the influx of new imported and isolated cases at the Sudima Hotel in Christchurch, where hundreds of members of a fishing crew were They are in controlled isolation.
On Thursday, a pop-up community testing center was being established in Greenhithe for the public.
However, the owner of The Malt pub in Greenhithe, where the infected person visited, told RNZ’s Morning Report that when he went to get tested on Wednesday night, the staff told him to come back Thursday for a test now. that the waiting time was over. three hours long.
Sir David, an epidemiologist at the University of Otago School of Medicine and former chairman of the Public Health Commission, said of Nine to Noon that the government’s message was not clear enough and was provoking an arrogant attitude from the public.
“I think we all have to take into account the possibility, or indeed the certainty, that this virus will enter our community from time to time. There will be increasing pressure to relax our borders, which has clearly happened with these sea fishermen. and I think the rest of us should behave with that knowledge.
“I’ve been really worried for two or three weeks. I still use my app to record a QR code, I hardly ever see anyone do it. I haven’t flown recently … people tell me most people don’t. We don’t wear masks in the plane and again the government gave the wrong message there, I think, because I think that people have been led to believe that we have defeated this virus and we have not, it will continue to happen, and if we want to avoid blockades, we will have to change our behavior “.
Sir David also believed that officials had dropped the ball on the bunk beds in the rooms at Sudima Christchurch Airport.
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Sealord CEO Doug Paulin discusses the issue that is in the spotlight due to multiple crew members contracting Covid-19. Source: Breakfast
“Having two people in a room is a sloppy procedure, it does not make sense because it is quite easy to realize that one person could infect the other who would not give a positive test before going out to the community, so it is a challenge. early quarantine.
“Having many people who have come from a country [Russia] With one of the highest incidences in the world, two per room, I can only assume that it was done as an economic measure to save the company, which is presumably paying for this quarantine … I feel it is worrying that this Something is happening, It almost seems that the authorities do not understand that epidemiology is a disease. “
Yesterday, Head of Managed Isolation and Quarantine, Air Commodore Darryn Webb said that if a crew member at Sudima Christchurch Airport tested positive for the virus, then the clock will be reset to zero for the person sharing a room with that person.
That would mean they would have to spend an additional 14 days in controlled isolation to make sure they are not infectious when they enter the community.
Sir David said surveillance of the evidence could also be stronger.
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Manager Daryn Forbes says they want to keep people safe after a case of Covid-19 visited the pub next door. Source: 1 NEWS
More than 7000 tests were conducted yesterday, raising the weekly moving average to 4449.
He said it was hard to tell if that was enough.
“Certainly my anecdotal observations, speaking to people who have had symptoms that could have reflected Covid-19, suggest to me that we are not testing as consistently as we should.
“But testing is just one of things, we have to keep practicing sensible physical distancing, I’m trying to avoid shaking people’s hands, it’s actually quite awkward, but actually shaking hands is a great way to transmit viruses We just need to be vigilant because we are very lucky in New Zealand, we have done very well, we enjoy freedoms and security that are a distant memory in most countries, but we must not assume that this is going to continue forever if not we take precautions. “
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Two of today’s 25 cases are job contacts of an infected dock worker. Another eighteen are foreign fishermen who isolate themselves in Christchurch. Source: 1 NEWS
Sir David said the government should enforce the wearing of masks on public transportation over the Labor Day long weekend to help stop any community spread of Covid-19.
For up-to-date information on Auckland test sites, call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 or visit the ARPHS website.
