Elimination of Covid-19 is possible under Alert Level 2, but it relies on all New Zealanders doing their part, according to a leading virus modeller.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced New Zealand will move to Alert Level 2 from 11.59pm Wednesday.
It means more businesses, including gyms, movies and shopping centres will open up, and people can again see friends and family. However, gatherings will be limited to 10 people and social distancing should be maintained where possible, as well as basic hygiene measures like hand washing and cough and sneeze etiquette.
New Zealand went in full lockdown at Alert Level 4 on March 25 amid the global Covid-19 pandemic, before easing to Level 3 on April 28.
Director of Auckland University's Te Punaha Matatini, Centre of Research Excellence in Complex Systems and Data Analytics, Professor Shaun Hendy was one of those advising the Government on it's moves during the pandemic.
It was earlier predicted there would be up to 1000 Covid-19 cases a day in New Zealand if the virus got out of control, and possibly tens of thousands of deaths.
Professor Hendy told TVNZ1's Breakfast this morning, with effective contact tracing, he believes elimination of Covid-19 is possible at Level 2 - but that the responsibility was shifting away from the Government and on to Kiwis.
"If you're going to be cautious, I probably would have said lets stay in Level 3 for a little bit longer, but now we're shifting into a regime where we're going to be relying on our contact tracing, that's what we've been working on in our modelling over the last couple of weeks is building in a detailed model of how contact tracing works.
"We think with a really effective contact tracing system in place, we can actually live at Level 2 and actually go on to eliminate the disease."
Professor Hendy also warned people to make sure they continue to not take risks, and to stick to basic hygiene such as hand washing, staying home if sick and cough and sneeze etiquette.
"We've got this."
Professor Hendy also noted that there is a two week delay in seeing the impact of Level 2, given the lag in people contracting the coronavirus and presenting systems, but he praised New Zealanders for their efforts to stamp out the disease at Level 4 and 3.
SHARE ME