Zizi Sparks: Why it's time to move to Covid 19 coronavirus alert level 1

COMMENT

As the number of active Covid-19 cases in the country continues to fall and the number of new cases each day is regularly at zero, the time is right to move to level 1.

We New Zealanders have been patient. We have made a collective effort to stamp out the virus and we have been rewarded for it. Now it is time for one more reward - freedom.

As of Friday afternoon, there was just one active case of Covid-19 in the entire country and it was in the Auckland District Health Board area. The day before there were only eight and all of these were in Auckland's three district health board areas of Waitematā, Counties Manukau and Auckland.

We have fewer active cases now than when the Government made the bold decision to move up the alert levels.

Since then, despite restrictions, the number of cases in New Zealand climbed and peaked at 1154 (as of Thursday).

But now the number of active cases has dropped to single digits and with it, the risk.

When Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern first introduced the concept of alert levels I recall hearing a suggestion different areas of the country could move between alert levels at different times.

It's time for that to happen.

Nineteen of the country's 20 district health boards don't have any active cases. I believe everywhere but Auckland should be moved to level 1 and domestic travel should be allowed between other areas at alert level 1.

Auckland can join us at alert level 1 when they too have no active cases.

A Trans-Tasman bubble on the other hand, should not be rushed.

This week the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Tourism said it had an aspirational timeframe of Trans-Tasman flights by July 1, just four-and-a-half weeks away.

On Thursday Australia still had 584 active Covid-19 cases. It logged 15 new cases alone this Tuesday.

When the New Zealand Government has made decisions about moving alert levels it has waited until the last minute to ensure it has the most up to date information.

The same needs to happen with a Trans-Tasman bubble. We can't make decisions now for a date more than a month away. The last thing anyone wants is to reopen the borders, even if just to Australia, and create a new wave of cases.

It will be time to open a Trans-Tasman bubble when the risk of new infections is minimal.

Let's wait to do that.

It will be time to move to alert level 1 when the risk of new infections is minimal.

For New Zealand, that time is now.

Bring on alert level 1.