The Covid-19 community case in Northland is the South African strain, Covid recovery minister Chris Hipkins says.
OPINION:
I had a few errands to run yesterday so went into town and dealt with a bunch of people, which is never a great time for a misanthrope like me. I decided to make it extra awful by paying attention to see how many people I spotted scanning the Covid app.
What I witnessed didn't do wonders for my stress levels (nor my chances surviving a potential outbreak of coronavirus in this town). Of the hundreds of people I went past in the dozen or so stores I visited, I saw a grand total of zero people scanning QR codes.
It's a terrifying thought but, should one of those hundreds of people end up testing positive for Covid-19, I'll have no way of knowing whether we crossed paths yesterday. The most frustrating part is how easily I could have access to that potentially lifesaving information. All they had to do was scan the damn code.
We're about to mark one year since Covid-19 arrived in New Zealand.
It's clear that, for a lot of people, one year of this absolute nightmare is not enough time to learn.
I don't know how else to tell you this: every time you go somewhere where there are other people and you don't scan the app (or fill out the covid contact tracer form, if you can't use your phone to scan), you're putting your loved ones at risk. You, who probably think of yourself as a nice person who'd do anything for your loved ones, you are failing at keeping them safe.
The government is urging Kiwis to scan QR codes and turn bluetooth on. Photo / File
The world is grappling with a deadly pandemic and just last week New Zealand had a stark reminder of how easily things can change for us. You play a huge part in keeping your family and friends safe. All you need to do is scan a QR code or write down your details when you go into a store. It doesn't cost you money, it doesn't cost you much time at all. If you don't care enough about your loved ones to do something that simple, you simply don't care at all.
The woman who tested positive in New Zealand last week potentially saved lives because of how diligently she scanned QR codes in all her outside trips.
How can you criticise the Government's handling of the pandemic when you don't do something as simple as scanning a code when you go somewhere? Your criticism might be completely valid but you lose the argument by failing to do your part.
Being safe is your right but, in a pandemic, it's also your duty.
Scan the bloody QR codes - even if only so you can then legitimately have a right ol' moan about the Government not doing enough.
