Asleep at the Wheel

Marie from Waikanae

We are told there are four cases of Covid in Kapiti. We have known about this since last Friday, but no details have been released. All we have is two lines in the local paper. We are told by the Mayor that if we have been in a location of interest we should go get tested but no details of locations have been released. I am really disgusted. This is extremely poor management. Based on current estimates of spread, those four cases are now 32 and we have no means of knowing if we are at risk.
I'm not surprised that modellers are predicting thousands of cases if this is the way the omicron outbreak is being managed. MOH is once again asleep at the wheel.

And whose bright idea was it to set up a quarantine facility in Kapiti? 45 minutes from the nearest hospital on a good day and cut off regularly in bad weather by the fragile and slip prone coastal highway (e.g. 16/12/21, 31 /1/ 22) with over 25% of the population aged over 65 and at risk of serious illness. Are they prepared to medi-vac people out by helicopter if necessary?

Amidst the bureaucratic code of silence I also detect the distinct odor of Councils "we know what's best for you" attitude. Are they not telling anyone anything so as to avoid panic? If so, this is an ignorant approach which demeans the capability of residents. For goodness sake, stop insulting us and let us know whats going on.
If we don't have the information people will react accordingly, as they are doing in Auckland, by simply imposing their own lockdown and staying at home. Businesses in Auckland are seeing greatly reduced volume as people are too scared to venture out. The lack of information creates more fear and uncertainty, not less.