Covid 19 coronavirus: Tai Tokerau Māori leader says prepare for the long haul

Tai Tokerau iwi chairs' forum Te Kahu o Taonui pandemic response chair Harry Burkhardt says Northlanders need to be looking at the next two to three years for managing Covid-19.

Northlanders need to think long term when it comes to managing Covid-19, a Tai Tokerau Māori leader says.

"People need to be thinking two to three years out," Harry Burkhardt, the Tai Tokerau iwi chairs' forum Te Kahu o Taonui pandemic response chair said.

"Covid-19 will continue to be back in many shapes and forms over time," Burkhardt (Ngāti Kuri) said.

"We have to be honest about that."

Te Kahu o Taonui has had a key role in Northland's Covid-19 pandemic response over the past 10 weeks with its iwi connections across the region.

Burkhardt said Te Kahu o Taonui and the wider community needed to adjust to new ways of managing the virus, after its resurgence this week.

"We need to view it as a marathon rather than a sprint."

People were stretched after the virus' initial appearance and dealing with that since. It had been dealt with at a level of intensity that couldn't be maintained long term.

Intense sprint-like energy had been put into these early stages, he said.

Given the virus' resurgence, it was now time to shift to a longer-term perspective.

He said communities needed to get used to the idea of continuing to shift in and out of different Covid-19 management restriction levels over time, for example sporting fixtures with or without large crowds.

Level 1 controls had brought a time of relative normality. This week's raised restriction levels changed that. But they would not always be present, he said.

Burkhardt said handwashing and social distancing remained the only way to deal with managing the virus at an individual level until a vaccine was developed.

He said Covid-19's New Zealand emergence had many impacts in Tai Tokerau.

"Covid-19's exacerbated the cracks in our communities."

There were ongoing issues with the consistent supply of good-quality food. Water security was an issue.

Te Kahu o Taonui had a key role in food parcel deliveries during Covid-19 level 4 lockdown and new options for food provision this time were being considered.

Water security had also been addressed. A home water tank database developed as Covid-19 restriction levels unfolded amid Northland's drought could help into the future. Data has been collected to show where the water tanks were and how much water was in these.

Te Aupouri, Ngai Takoto, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kahu, Whaingaroa, Ngāpuhi, Ngātiwai, Ngāti Whatua iwi are all part of Te Kahu o Taonui.

''This information might not be needed right now because we've had rain, but what about January 2021."

Auckland-based Burkhardt is also the Government-appointed Northland District Health Board chair and Ngati Kuri trust board chairman.