Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield on Day 14 of the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown in 2020. Photo / Mark Mitchell, File
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield on Day 14 of the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown in 2020. Photo / Mark Mitchell, File
EDITORIAL:
More than a third of the population is holding its breath for tomorrow's expected deliverance from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - a potential lifting of alert level 4 restrictions.
Auckland's latest rahui has been in place since 11.59pm on August 17 - a total of 25 days. Itbears repeating because many people, cooped up at home, will have lost count.
But counting numbers has become something of a preoccupation for many of us, tuning in to the daily announcements from the "podium of truth" in Wellington.
Case numbers are one important number. They peaked in the 80s last weekend and have demonstrated a clear tailing off this week. This is to be expected with the reduced movements, and therefore transmissions, during hefty restrictions.
However, our health advisers will not want to lift lockdown while there is still a whiff of the Delta variant in the air. Tomorrow, Ardern may well propose a date for Auckland to loosen a level but it is important to remember another number.
Thirty-three is the number of days New Zealand remained in alert level 4 during the first nationwide locklown in March and April last year.
Given the prodigious spreading ability of the Delta variant, it would be suprising indeed if Ardern proposed to lift restrictions faster than what was needed in 2020. More likely, we can expect the Prime Minister and her Cabinet to dampen hopes of an early release with talk today and tomorrow of "a long tail" and the tricky nature of the virus.
The numbers of cases will remain a threat so long as there is one in the community. It took one van driver in Sydney to crumple New South Wales' defences and overrun the state.
For now then, Auckland and the rest of New Zealand should put aside the matter of when levels will change and concentrate on the number they can influence - vaccinations.
If you, or anyone you know hasn't yet made an appointment to roll your sleeve up for the good of the nation, then head to bookmyvaccine.nz and get it done. It only takes a moment to hold your breath and make your contribution count.
