Angie Warren-Clark Labour MP

Well folks, the time has finally come. Covid now lives within our community.

We know we won't stop the Omicron variant, so we'll now work hard to minimise case numbers to give our health system the space it needs to manage and provide the care people need.

Our exceptional vaccination rates and the hard work of our amazing public health teams puts us in one of the best positions in the world to fight Omicron.

Here in the Bay of Plenty we are sitting at 94 per cent fully vaccinated and 92 per cent at first doses. The Bay of Plenty District Health Board, in partnership with iwi, have worked tirelessly to manage Delta cases to date, and delivered an extremely successful tracing and control response.

The Tauranga Hospital Covid Ward, ICU and oxygen upgrading works are complete and ready. Boosters are available and vaccinations for five-to-11 year olds are now safety approved and available. Collectively, we are as ready as we can be for Omicron.

As individuals we can have a plan ready in case you or a household member test positive for Covid-19. Talk to our employers and educators about plans to work and learn from home.

Figure out your support network, to help with dropping off supplies and groceries, and what would happen if you did fall very ill and needed to head to hospital. You might want to consider writing down easy to follow household instructions around caring for pets, plants and paying bills.

I think it's a good idea to get together as a household to prepare a kit of medicines and food at home, alongside a list of whānau information including names, ages, NHI numbers, medical conditions, emergency contact information – such as your GP clinic or support agencies – and medications normally taken.

This way we all know who to contact if someone gets sick and needs to isolate, and we can support each other, stay connected and keep safe.

This is how we look ahead now: by adapting accordingly with logic, kindness and compassion, preparing with caution, not fear, putting the important things first and looking out for each other.