Covid 19 coronavirus editorial: Health system must be ready for next wave or pandemic

It was smiles all round as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern arrived for the post Cabinet media conference with director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield on Monday, when she announced New Zealand would drop to alert level 1 after the country became Covid-free. Photo / Mark Mitchell

EDITORIAL:

There is no doubting we have largely dodged the coronavirus bullet when compared to many countries.

The success - for now anyway - was partly because of the Government's "go hard, go early" strategy, partly due to the advice of scientists and health experts (and the fact it was followed), partly because of the work of officials and staff in various frontline fields, and partly because of the response by the general public - the "team of 5 million" who predominantly did as directed and helped break the chain of transmission.

The focus is now on opening up the economy as swiftly as possible and trying to mitigate the effects of the pandemic in that area.

However, it is important we do not congratulate ourselves over the initial health triumph of our Covid-free status and relatively small number of deaths, without acknowledging that, actually, luck played a part, too.

It could have been - and very nearly was - a whole lot worse.

Health professionals have said they were near breaking point during the crisis and many of their concerns were expressed in online representations to the Epidemic Response Committee.

Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners medical director Dr Bryan Betty said New Zealand had been only one week away from an Italy-style "health system meltdown" because of Covid-19 just days before the decision was made to lock the country down.

It was smiles all round as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern arrived for the post Cabinet media conference with director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield on Monday, when she announced New Zealand would drop to alert level 1 after the country became Covid-free. Photo / Mark Mitchell

University of Otago professor and epidemiologist Sir David Skegg said our public health system had been "run down to an extremely dangerous level" for years and by successive governments, and few countries had such a weak capacity for public health surveillance and action.

From the early days of the crisis here, it was clear there was confusion and mixed messages between health providers, aged-care facilities, pharmacies, district health boards and the Ministry of Health, particularly over access to and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the general flu vaccine - the rollout of which NZ Medical Association chairwoman Kate Baddock called a "total, total disaster".

Antiquated and siloed regional systems meant significant contact-tracing issues to begin with.

There were major concerns about the repercussions to patients whose care and/or surgery was deferred as hospitals were cleared out in expectation of a Covid inundation.

The disability support sector faced issues; and general practitioners, dentists and pharmacists feared for their own viability, which could have had further significant ramifications for patient care.

It is clear health professionals did an amazing job under very difficult, demanding and frightening circumstances, and at risk to themselves.

We are Covid-free for now, but that could change as we open our borders to more people and for as long as the rest of the world continues to struggle with the virus. And we must all realise by now it will also be a matter of not if, but when a new pandemic strikes.

A range of reviews have or are being undertaken, including by DHBs and the Ombudsman.

Lessons must be learned. One of those is we need to reduce reliance on luck in our response.

As well as getting our economy back to strength, the Government - and subsequent ones - must use this eye of the storm to ensure our health system and pandemic response are fit for purpose and able to deal with a new wave - or a new virus altogether - from day 1.