Sheryl Mai: Our personal level of responsibility can have the greatest impact on Covid's effects

Mask wearing is an example of personal responsibility that can help keep Northland safe, says Whangārei Mayor Sheryl Mai. Photo / Tania Whyte

A new year has started, and we're back into the routine of life in Covid times.

One of these days, I'm sure I'll get through an entire column without once mentioning Covid-19, Delta or Omicron. But for now, it's an inevitable part of our lives.

Accepting the new normal that comes with managing a pandemic comes at a cost, and I want to acknowledge the difficult choice made by Waitangi Day organisers this year. Their decision to close the Treaty Grounds for the 2022 Waitangi Day commemorations and move the coverage and Iwi Chairs Forum online has protected their community and the health of those who were scheduled to attend. I commend their actions.

The leadership shown by those managing the Waitangi commemorations helps set the standard for others in our community, who may be making hard decisions of their own as a result of the Covid-19 Omicron variant. These can be confusing times, and there are many levels of responsibility in ensuring our communities stay safe.

We all receive guidance and mandates from Central Government, policies and strategies from local councils, leadership and decision-making within our communities and personal responsibilities with vaccination, mask use and contact tracing. These different levels of responsibility will all play their part in slowing the inevitable spread of Omicron to avoid overwhelming our health system.

Whangārei District Council operates with a district-wide level of responsibility. Our health and safety team have developed strategies to keep our service levels consistent throughout an outbreak in the community. Some of these processes include splitting teams into rostered shifts at separate locations, to ensure business continuity and resilience should Covid-19 be detected in our workspace. This means essential services would be minimally affected by sickness, allowing us to continue to provide clean drinking water, process wastewater and manage stormwater, while also collecting rubbish and maintaining roads and council-owned facilities. Keeping our community safe is our top priority.

Our council has also moved many services online while still trying to strike a balance between accessibility and safety. Customer services at Forum North are available to all members of the community, with scanning and mask-wearing enforced (unless exempted). We know that many in our community would rather speak face-to-face with one of our team rather than use our online or telephone services.

All council staff and elected members are doing their best to balance the responsibilities as a service provider, with our responsibilities in upholding Covid-19 safety protocols.

Looking at our personal level of responsibility, I think this is where we can make the most impact on the health of our community. Choose to get vaccinated, wear a mask, socially distance and self-isolate if unwell or showing symptoms. Stock up on those isolation essentials for your household, be prepared and let your family and friends know if you feel uncomfortable with visitors or social events.

These are the areas where you can make a real difference and play your part in slowing down the spread of Omicron in our community. Together, we will get through this.