That is the message from WellSouth medical director and general practitioner Dr Carol Atmore, who warns that BA.5 is a lot more infectious than the previous Omicron variant of the virus.
And while BA.5 does not seem to make people sicker in general, the sharp rise in numbers of community cases will inevitable lead to more people in hospital with Covid-19.
Also of concern is that the true number of cases may be much higher than reported, as wastewater testing has indicated up to half of all positive Covid-19 cases are going unreported.
"We are bracing ourselves for a continuing surge in cases for up to 10 weeks," Dr Atmore said.
Many people were "over it" when it came to Covid-19 and wanted to think the pandemic had passed, but that was not the case, she said.
It was important people all "do the basics" well to protect themselves and others.
"That means wearing a mask, washing your hands, getting vaccinated and boosted, and staying home if you are sick," she said.
Given the impact of the BA.5 variant among older people, the increased availability of antiviral drugs would hopefully prove very helpful.
Everyone over 75 years old who tested positive for Covid-19 could be eligible, as could people aged 65 to 74 who had not received the two original vaccine doses, and Maori and Pasifika people aged 50 to 64 who had not had two doses.
"It’s good to know that we have the option of antiviral drugs available for people," Dr Atmore said.
Last week, Covid-19 Response Minister Ayesha Verrall announced that free masks and rapid antigen tests would be provided to all those who needed them in a bid to increase testing numbers and to try to get people wearing masks at the Orange setting.
Dr Atmore said the best way people could protect themselves was by having the Covid-19 vaccine and it was not too late for people to get their shots.
"You are 40 or 50 times less likely to die of Covid-19 if you have had your vaccinations," she said.
The uptake of the second booster shot was reasonable so far, but it would be better if more people got it as soon as possible.
"We all need to protect ourselves in the best way that is available to us right now," Dr Atmore said.
The combination of the Covid surge and flu season meant the health system was dealing with a very busy period of winter illnesses.
"We can all play our part to reduce that pressure by doing the right things — wear a mask, wash hands and stay home if sick," Dr Atmore said.
FACTS
Key messages about Covid-19
- You can be infected with Covid-19 more than once. Many people throughout the southern health district and wider New Zealand are discovering this.
Please be vigilant when out in the community and wear a mask and practise good hand hygiene and physical distancing where appropriate.
- It is not too late to get your Covid-19 booster.
Apart from mask wearing, a Covid-19 booster dose is your best form of defence against severe Covid-19 infection.
It takes about two weeks after vaccination for the body to build full protection against Covid-19, so the time to act is now.
- It is now more important than ever to wear a mask when out in public.
Wearing a mask is the easiest way you can protect yourself, your whanau and the vulnerable members of your community from getting Covid-19.
