People are dying without their loved ones near them - that could change soon. Photo / 123rf
People are dying without their loved ones near them - that could change soon. Photo / 123rf
The government is looking into the possibility of allowing New Zealanders to be able to say their goodbyes to loved ones before they die, under alert level 3.
In the current lockdown, the families of dying Kiwis have not been able to see them in hospital and say their finalgoodbyes.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson today said the government is looking into whether that can change, when the country moves into alert level 3.
There were two new deaths from Covid-19 in the last 24 hours. These people died without their families near them.
Questioned about whether this is something that could change as New Zealand moves down a level, Robertson said that "is something that is being considered by the Ministry of Health".
"It's a heartbreaking time for those people, I can't imagine how that would feel for me," he said.
"These are the sacrifices New Zealanders are making. My sympathies go out to them."
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Director of Public Health Caroline McElnay said the Ministry is looking into how to make this possible for families, while also keeping everyone safe.
"We want to have a very safe environment for our patients as well as families and healthcare workers," McElnay said.
"We will be looking at what we can put in place to enable that but still keep everyone safe."
Cabinet will decide on Monday whether to drop to alert level 3.
Information about what it will look like, released yesterday by the Prime Minister, was not an invitation to adopt the measures yet, Robertson said.
When asked about whether the Government was considering staying at level 4, he said there was more work to be done.
The rules state that people should work from home if possible, people can expand their bubbles "a small amount" and only regional travel is permitted.
Level 3 was not "markedly different" from alert level 4, Robertson said. It allowed more businesses to open and "is not a return to pre-Covid days". We were still a long way from that, he said.
"There is more mahi to do."
Robertson indicated to Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking this morning that level 3 might last only two weeks.
"We've used blocks of two weeks because that's the way that the virus gestates, and so, two-week blocks, four-week blocks give us a sense of controlling the virus.
"That's why we said four weeks of level 4 and similarly we use those kind of blocks because that's what fits with the advice we have about how the virus gestates."
He rejected suggestions Australia had done a better job balancing health impacts and the economy, saying New Zealand's actions had worked well for this country.
"New Zealanders have done a remarkable job of supporting this lockdown ... there is still some way to go in completing that job. Clearly we have to keep bringing people with us.
"It's why we are getting information out there about level 3, before we have even made the decision about moving there."
