Do you know where you were this time last week? That is the question Southern DHB’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Nigel Millar and Medical Officer of Health, Dr Michael Butchard are asking the public.

With the UK and South African strains of COVID -19 now in isolation facilities in New Zealand and the ongoing increasing number of cases in many countries, they are urging the public to remember to scan QR codes wherever they go.

Dr Butchard says these variants are a lot more contagious and the risk of them spreading in the community if they escape from managed isolation has increased significantly.

“Our isolation facilities have stringent infection, prevention and control protocols, but we are all human and a breach could happen. 

“If we have a community case of one of the new variants it could spread very quickly, and unless we know where the public have been and who they have been with, it will be extremely hard to contain. 

“The faster contact tracers are provided with information about where people have been in the previous 14 days, the faster we can get ahead of the virus and break the chain of transmission. 

“Please don’t wait until the next community case to start scanning again - if there is a case discovered today, we may need to know the places you visited in the past 14 days.”

Most people if asked where they were this time last week won’t be able to remember, and Dr Millar says he also can’t stress enough how important it is to keep a record of where you have been and who you have been with. 

“We’re at a critical point, and we all need to work together to keep New Zealand free of COVID-19 in the community. 

“I’m extremely concerned that the public are not doing this simple thing to help keep us all safe, and potentially avoid another lockdown.”

“Until we are able to vaccinate enough of the population to get herd immunity we all need to work together to reduce the risk of spread should we get community cases. 

“We need the whole team of 300,000 people in Southern to be on their game to help us get through. 

“We cannot relax and we probably have the whole year to get through before enough people will be vaccinated for us to be safe.

“This doesn’t only mean scanning QR codes, but also includes remembering to wash our hands, staying home if we’re sick and getting a test if we have any cold or flu symptoms.”

The public are also reminded that although they may have turned on Bluetooth tracing on their app they must scan QR codes. 

Bluetooth tracing allows people to receive an alert if they have been near another app user who tests positive for COVID-19. 

It doesn’t replace the existing contact tracing processes or the NZ COVID Tracer, they do different things. 

A huge advantage of scanning is that Public Health can quickly inform people via a text notification if they might be at risk of being exposed to someone with COVID-19 so that you can get tested.

‘We’re also asking businesses to help by making sure their QR codes are easily accessible – put them on your doors, by the counter, and on tables at restaurants to make it easy to scan. 

“If you don’t have a cellphone please keep your own record or sign in wherever you go,” says Dr Butchard.

Messages to the public:

• With the new more contagious COVID-19 strains in NZ, any community transmission will be difficult to contain

• The public are urged to ‘scan wherever they can’ so our Public Health team can trace and isolate as soon as possible should we get a community case

• Turn on your Bluetooth to add an extra layer of protection. If you’ve been near someone with COVID-19 you’ll receive an alert

• You still need to scan QR codes even if you have Bluetooth tracing turned on

• Don’t wait until there is a community case to start using the app. When a community case is discovered, we may need to know where you have been in the past 14 days, to identify the source and further spread

• If you don’t have a cellphone,  keep a diary of where you’ve been and/or sign in wherever you go

• Keep up the hand hygiene, cough and sneeze etiquette

• Keep your distance from people you don’t know

• Stay home if you’re sick

•  Got symptoms? Get tested! If you have any cold or flu symptoms  - runny nose, cough,  fever, loss of sense of smell, sore throat or difficulty breathing – please get a test

• To get a test if you live or are visiting the Southern district call 0800 VIRUS19 or 0800 847 8719

Message to businesses:

• Help keep NZ safe and your business open

• Make sure your QR code is easy to find and reach for all customers

• Ensure there is hand gel and a COVID sign in booklet readily available

•  Ask your customers when they are paying for items if they have scanned and have the QR code ready at the till if they haven’t

• If you run a bar or nightclub ask customers to scan when they are asked for their ID

• If you run a restaurants or café  as well as at the door, put the QR code on the menu and at the till, and ask your customers when they pay if they have scanned

• Use the Make Summer Unstoppable campaign business toolkit and the Unstoppable summer toolkit to help keep NZ safe and your business open. There’s some great resources - use some of the posters to draw attention to scanning QR codes and the key messages to Make Summer Unstoppable. It’s free – all you need to do is print!

You can download the COVID Tracer App by clicking here.