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Epidemiologist Michael Baker says Auckland is now ready to “go down a notch” – he and his colleagues are in favor of moving to alert level 1.5 ahead of tomorrow’s government announcement on Auckland’s restrictions.
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It is a decision that many in the city await. Source: 1 NEWS
Chief Health Officer Dr. Ashley Bloomfield has previously ruled out a 1.5 level saying “he’s done with the .5.”
Before Auckland moved to alert level 2 on September 22, Bloomfield was asked by the media if Auckland would need an alert level 1.5. He said no.
“I think the goal is, for everything to go smoothly for the next two weeks, to bring Auckland to Alert Level 1 along with the rest of the country.”
But he said Level 1 looks a bit different than it did last time, with more measures in place to combat the spread of Covid-19.
“We have QR codes all over the place, people are using the app, we continue to encourage the use of masks on public transportation and on flights,” said Bloomfield.
“I think there is a much higher level of surveillance and obviously we also want to keep testing rates high.
Today Baker said that he and his colleagues believe Auckland is ready to “go down a notch”, but they want to see Level 1.5.
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The public health expert says mask use should remain on public transport and flights, while high-risk environments should be managed.
A proposed Level 1.5 would include additional restrictions such as “maintaining the use of masks in some high-risk situations such as public transportation and airplanes”.
He also wants to see more care around mass gatherings, including working with the hospitality industry on how to make large indoor gatherings “as safe as possible.”
“They are big indoor gatherings where people can move freely, there’s alcohol, people know each other well, and that’s actually a high-risk environment for these high-profile events,” Baker told 1 NEWS.
Today marked the ninth day of zero community transmission in New Zealand, with five cases announced in isolation. There are currently 41 active cases of Covid-19 in the country, including border cases and in quarantine facilities.
Baker’s comments come just two days after the president of the United States, Donald Trump, and his wife were diagnosed with Covid-19. Other members of the White House staff also tested positive.
In the first presidential debate on Wednesday, Trump defended his lax habits around wearing masks, as the Trump family was criticized for breaking the rules of the debate that require masks in the audience.
Trump has also come under fire for leading events without proper social distancing measures.
