Luke Kirkness: Anxious days ahead after Omicron discovery

Omicron might be in New Zealand and now the real challenge starts. Photo / AP

OPINION
It was never an if but a when.

Two people with the Omicron variant of Covid-19 have been in the community this week.

The first was the British DJ Dimension, real name Robert Etheridge, who spent seven days in MIQ before transferring to an approved beachside location.

Etheridge ended his stint and spent two days in the community - including visits to bars, restaurants and Waiheke Island - before he got his positive day-nine result.

The second is an Air New Zealand crew member who worked on a Christmas Eve flight between Auckland and Sydney.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins yesterday said up to 100 people could be isolating after Etheridge tested positive.

Hipkins said a lockdown wasn't being considered and the early signs were the risk could be contained.

Fingers crossed.

Yesterday the Ministry of Health reported there were eight new community cases in the Bay of Plenty District Health Board area and one in Lakes DHB. There were also two people with the virus in both DHBs who were hospitalised, with the Bay of Plenty pair both in ICU or HDU at Tauranga Hospital.

For weeks now Omicron has been establishing itself in dozens of countries, causing case numbers to skyrocket in the United Kingdom and Australia.

In November, University of Auckland senior lecturer Dr David Welch told NZME he expected that once Omicron had a foothold in New Zealand it would precede a large, fast-moving wave of infections.

Given Hipkins' stance, one would assume it's not yet got a foothold in the country but as we've learned in the past the virus has a way of spreading through the community.

It's the holiday season and after a long year, people are trying to unwind. These are supposed to be the lazy days of backyard cricket, BBQs and beach days.

Another Covid variant breaking out in our community like a heat rash is the last thing any of us wants to deal with.

The good news is we're better prepared than we were for Covid-19 - original flavour - and than we were for dastardly sequel Delta. The past two years have given us tools to protect ourselves and anticipate what comes next.

We have high levels of vaccination, our hospitals are upping their ability to respond to growing cases, and those people on the front lines of this fight are proven operators and adaptors.

While some of us may feel battle-hardened, others more battle-weary.

While we may all be on the same battleship, the swell affects each person differently.

To those feeling overwhelmed by Omicron: don't be afraid to ask for help.