Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Jo Raphael - The level 2 rules are there for a reason

There's a reason why level 2 restrictions are in place, writes Jo Raphael. Photo / Getty Images

OPINION

The news that got Bay of Plenty residents' heart rates racing this week was not the news we expected or wanted to hear.

A sample of wastewater in taken in Tauranga on Thursday tested positive for Covid-19; this was made public at Tuesday's 1pm Government briefing.

Of course, people are scared and automatically assume the worst: That we may have an infectious case of Covid in the community.

Those fears were echoed by University of Otago epidemiologist Michael Baker, who perhaps is voicing the worst-case scenario, and said the news was a "warning flag".

"It's a warning that there's a possibility of an infected person and chain of transmission in Tauranga. The next steps will be to repeat the testing."

The Government and the DHB have appealed for calm and for folks in the Bay of Plenty to get tested.

Testing hours were extended and capacity for more testing facilities was on standby.

ESR has explained that the level of the virus in the sample collected was "very low".

And a sample from two days earlier tested negative.

Dr Ashley Bloomfield says a reason for the positive result could be that it's from someone who has been recently released from an MIQ facility and who is recovering from Covid-19.

He also mentioned it was unlikely to be connected with the truck driver who tested positive and was infectious while in Tauranga.

The bottom line, in my view, is that there should be no need to panic.

The rules around level 2 are designed exactly for this scenario: The social distancing, restrictions on numbers in venues, mask-wearing, sanitising hands and contact tracing.

They're not there to be an annoyance or to impact on people's freedom. They're there so we have the measures in place to act quickly if Covid does get out into the community.

But what is annoying are people who think the rules aren't for them.

Anti-mask wearers need to take heed: Their freedoms are not being impinged upon - but they will be if we need to go into another lockdown because they spread Covid by not following the rules.

While we wait for a result on the second wastewater test due back today we must not panic, but we must also follow the rules ensuring any consequence of a community outbreak is minimal.