World Health Organisation's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus yesterday declared the rise in sub-variants of Omicron, such as BA. 4 and BA. 5 were putting more strain on health systems and workers.
The number of Covid cases reported to the WHO increased 30 per cent in the past two weeks, driven by sub-variants of the Omicron strain and the lifting of control measures.
Ghebreyesus said governments must deploy proven measures such as mask-wearing and improving ventilation. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has suggested some response to this will come today.
Some might say the prevalence of the virus, as well as numerous others such as influenza and winter colds, prove our lockdowns and precautionary measures were futile. But that is to overlook one key reason for those actions. We needed to stave off high levels of community transmission while getting as many vaccinated as possible. This strategy indubitably saved lives, prevented serious and long-term illness, and cushioned our health services from being overwhelmed.
Despite our vaccination protection and widespread transmission of the virus, slowing the spread remains a vital tactic. Unfettered spread leads to new variants, potentially more contagious and evasive to vaccine.
For the sake of clarity, this is the current official advice in New Zealand under the orange traffic light setting: Masks must be worn inside retail businesses such as supermarkets, shopping malls, pharmacies, petrol stations, and takeaway food stores.
Face coverings are also needed on public transport, including those aged 12 years or over on Ministry of Education-funded school transport and public transport In taxis or ride-share vehicles. On domestic flights; at indoor arrival and departure points for domestic flights and public transport; inside public venues or facilities, such as museums and libraries.
Also wear a mask when visiting a health care facility and a vet clinic, and when visiting the indoor area of a court or tribunal.
Masks are necessary at premises operated by local and central government agencies, social service providers, the police, and in the public area of premises operated by NZ Post.
Masks are not the only dropped ball. WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan says recent changes in testing policies were also hindering the detection of cases and the monitoring of virus evolution.
The committee stressed the need to reduce transmission as the implications of a pandemic caused by a new respiratory virus would not be fully understood.
The world has closed its eyes to an all-present danger and opened up defences to the full brunt of a pandemic.
What a strange world indeed.
