In the past few days we have seen an extraordinary increase in testing for Covid-19. Over 100,000 people have been tested since the new outbreak began. As we work to control the current outbreak, this level of testing gives us some assurance that collectively, we will again track and contain the virus. As unlucky as we are to be experiencing this outbreak, locking down hard and early is again our best chance of emerging safely.
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We should all be very grateful to everyone who has turned up for testing. They are doing the right thing, even if it means staying home from work and community activities until the test result is known. They are truly part of the team of five-million.
For some of us, staying home when we are unwell will involve a mind-shift. We try to power on through illnesses and injuries, keeping on with work and mixing with others. But we all need to be proactive about getting tested if we have symptoms that could indicate Covid-19. Those symptoms are just like ordinary colds: if you have a sore throat, a runny nose, or a cough, then please consider getting tested and staying home.
We also need to enable people to do things differently. The government has changed the Covid-19 Leave Support scheme to make it easier for workers to take leave to get tested and self-isolate, and to support businesses when workers take leave. From now on, if a worker has been told by health officials or their medical practitioner to self-isolate, their employer will be able to receive the equivalent of the wage subsidy to help cover the cost of wages.
Taking leave when we are sick should become a normal thing to do.
The other thing we all need to learn to do is wear facemasks. Some New Zealanders are already good at doing this, but all of us need to do it. Wearing a facemask helps to reduce the chances of infection.
There are no magic cures for Covid-19. But we can all help reduce its impact by getting tested, staying home when we’re sick, wearing facemasks, washing hands and keeping physically distant where possible. It all makes a difference, and by doing it, we are all helping each other.
-Deborah Russell, Labour MP based in New Lynn, Auckland.