Andrea Vance: NZ’s not ready for Omicron. Be prepared for more lockdowns and prolonged border closure

It’s hard to believe that we are entering year three of this pandemic, and it could be our hardest year yet, as Omicron knocks on the door. In truth, it’s probably already let itself in, given the number of close contacts of the borderrelated cases.

Omicron is said to be far more contagious than any of the previous Covid variants though it is also, thankfully, less likely to cause serious illness or death among those who are vaccinated.

As has been well rehearsed, we have every reason to feel fortunate; we have got off lightly compared to the rest of the world.

But the constant reminders to count our blessings shouldn’t blind us to the troubling reality of what lies ahead; our hospitals are still under-resourced and understaffed, and now that Australia has flung open its borders the situation is only likely to become more perilous, as better pay and conditions lure ICU nurses and others across the Tasman.

Other measures – such as retrofitting schools and other public buildings with better ventilation – haven’t happened at scale, while the delays approving and accessing rapid antigen tests remain difficult to fathom.

Once Omicron is widespread in the community, rapid antigen testing will be the key to keeping businesses going and the supply chain open. Without them, whole sectors could quickly grind to a halt. Yet there is still no sense of urgency in making them freely available.

It’s pointless now rehashing the Government’s similar lack of urgency around vaccination – our high vaccination rates are to be applauded, but the slow start is still coming back to bite us; with booster shots taking on greater importance, most people are only just becoming eligible now.

The latest Ministry of Health advertising campaign leaves no doubt that the fight against Covid has moved into a new phase. It advises what you need to stock up on, including drugs such as Panadol and ibuprofen, and urges a buddy system, so there’s someone looking out for you.

The message is clear; you are on your own. It would be wise for people to take that on board. Even accessing a basic level of care from your local GP might be difficult. In many cases GPs and their clinics will be overwhelmed – especially if they get sick, or have to isolate as well.

Even if you are lucky enough to access a GP, they are still unable to prescribe drugs that have been proven overseas – like the antiviral drug Paxlovid, which is supposed to stop people with mild symptoms becoming sick and keep them out of hospital if taken in the first few days of illness.

The Government has Paxlovid doses on order but they’re awaiting approval from Medsafe.

Molnupiravir is the other drug that can be prescribed for the home but, like Paxlovid, is still waiting on approval. It seems neither may come through till April. Let’s hope that isn’t too late.

We all know Covid is tricky, and it has defeated Governments around the world. But we’ve had the rare privilege of being able to learn from their mistakes; we shouldn’t be one step behind the virus every time.

And we need more tools in the toolbox than slamming the border shut every time we need to catch up.

The latest Ministry of Health advertising campaign leaves no doubt that the fight against Covid has moved into a new phase.