A COVID-19 modelling expert is urging Kiwis to prepare for an alert level 4 lockdown, which may be necessary if New Zealand experiences an outbreak of the more transmissible variant of the virus.
Shaun Hendy spoke to The AM Show on Tuesday about the new community case of COVID-19 and whether New Zealanders should be concerned.
Hendy said the Government and COVID-19 experts have been working to finesse the alert levels and figuring out different response plans.
He's warning that Kiwis need to be prepared for a lockdown in 2021, especially if there is an outbreak of the new, more transmittable variant.
"I would say you need to consider the fact that there could well be another lockdown. As I said this is stochastic - in other words, there is a lot of randomness going on."
He said harsher restrictions are needed to contain the more contagious strain.
"I don't think [a lockdown] is inevitable, but we need to be prepared for it and potentially have a harder lockdown than we had in August... So probably go to [alert level] 4. That's what we think to combat this more transmissible variant, we would probably need [alert level] 4."