Covid-19 Delta outbreak | Luke Kirkness: The ball is in our court now

OPINION:

We're on the rocks and our vessel of protection is edging closer to sinking after surges of Covid-19 battered us for two years.

The Bay of Plenty and Taupō have sailed through the pandemic without much concern for the virus but now we face a daunting future. Seven cases have been found in our part of the world since the weekend, with predictions of more appearing quickly.

We've had many close shaves, from the supermarket truck driver who travelled here in September to the Rio De La Plata container ship that had numerous cases while off Tauranga's coast to the false positive case in Katikati last month and, in the first wave, the tourists who visited Rotorua while symptomatic.

The Government and Ministry of Health, through strict restrictions such as the Auckland border and numerous lockdowns, largely managed to keep the virus at bay - but Covid-19 has shown a tenacity to evade detection and seep through.

That has to be expected.

Now the rubber hits the road. It's time to take action. Photo / NZME

We're humans and nothing we have ever done has been perfect. That doesn't mean rule-makers shouldn't be exempt from criticism.

Our health leaders and the Government did a great job at the start of the pandemic, making sure the virus was kept out of the country.

We were about 16 months Covid-free in NZ but, in my view, too little action was taken during those crucial months and the decision-makers have rightly been lambasted for that.

In February, the country rolled out the vaccine and now everyone aged 12 and over is eligible to get it.

While not everyone was eligible right away, it wasn't until the Delta outbreak that uptake really took off. The virus was out of sight, out of mind and people were slow to vaccinate.

As of November 14, 81 per cent of the country was fully vaccinated and 90 per cent have had their first dose - but local rates are lagging behind.

In the Lakes DHB area, 84 per cent have had a first dose and 73 per cent a second dose — equal third last in New Zealand, tied with West Coast.

The Bay of Plenty DHB area had 86 per cent first dose and 75 per cent second dose.

Although some blame should lie with the rule-makers, most of the fault is ours.

Health officials can only do so much to make the vaccine accessible. Plans are in motion to reopen Auckland's border, which could bring more cases to our under-prepared communities.

The ball is in our court. The rubber has hit the road.

No matter what metaphor you use, the virus is here and little can be done about that.

We can sit around and complain about the Government's response, but our best protection is to get vaccinated, and if we have symptoms to get tested.

Listen to the experts who have spent their professional careers studying viruses and vaccines. They know best.