Photo: RNZNew Zealanders do not fully understand how dire the situation will become if the Government’s elimination strategy fails, a leading epidemiologist says. The warnings come against the backdrop of Victoria following New South Wales in giving up on elimination and shifting to containment. If Covid-19 spread into these communities it would be hard to contain, Prof Baker said. "There is a chance that elimination will be unsuccessful because the Delta variant is so infectious and spreads so quickly. Asked if the Government was working on a back-up strategy for if elimination failed, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said: “New Zealand remains fully focused on its elimination strategy."

Source: Otago Daily Times September 02, 2021 16:30 UTC