"The idea is that we'll use it, but we're not using it right now," he said, adding that the benefit of the system was that it allowed for more efficient contact tracing, and provided a national overview of New Zealand's case and contact management. Asked if Auckland and Wellington's decision not to use the system was problematic, he suggested that they were doing what they thought best for their communities.
"My feeling is those people who decide not to use (the system) would probably have good reasons, and they would have weighed up the positives and the negatives, and decided the thing that's right for their population, but I don't know," he said.
While he accepted that enough staff had not been trained to use the system should a large number of new cases appear in Northland, he believed that outcome was unlikely, while the number of trained staff would increase as time went on.
The DHB also commended the region's Māori communities after Covid-19 testing data showed a strong Māori representation when Northland was at the height of its testing regime.
Of the 10,165 people tested in Northland between March 5 and May 25, 44 per cent (4485) were Māori and 50 per cent (5118) were European.
Northland Medical Officer of Health Dr Catherine Jackson said equity of access for Māori was a key focus of Northland's Covid-19 response.
"It was great to see the high rate of testing for Māori, right from the first weeks of the response," she said.
"Partnering with Māori (health) providers was a key success factor in reaching those living in more rural and remote communities."
Testing had involved seven community-based testing centres (CBTCs), nine mobile testing stations and multiple Māori health providers, who worked as far north as Te Hapua and as far south as Pouto.
Europeans made up 63 per cent of all those seen at mobile testing stations, and Māori 34 per cent, 26 per cent of them in the 45-59 year age group, and 26 per cent aged 60-74. Fifty-seven per cent were women, and almost half of all Northland testing was done in the Far North.
Northland's first Covid-19 case was reported on March 17, and its 28th, and final case, on April 16.
Jackson said she had been impressed with Northland's response to the pandemic, particularly in terms of confirmed cases and case contacts.
"They were generous with their time and information, and followed the advice of our public health team," she said.
"Staying in isolation and quarantine, as advised, makes the biggest difference to limiting the spread of infectious diseases like Covid-19."
She wasn't sure what might have been done better, but work was being done with staff to assess where improvement was needed.
