Epidemiologist Michael Baker is urging Kiwis to limit their contact with others as the Omicron outbreak grows.
There are now 56 cases confirmed or believed to be the highly transmissible variant, with 27 community infections reported on Wednesday.
Speaking with RNZ's Morning Report on Thursday, Baker said vulnerable people - especially the elderly or those with underlying health conditions - should limit contact with others and get their booster shot.
"The number one thing, of course, is to get a booster, particularly for older people or those with underlying health conditions. Hopefully, they're all eligible and have got their booster now, so that's number one," he told Morning Report.
"Number two is to reduce your contact with people outside your family unit, perhaps during this period when the outbreak is peaking… and masks really do make a difference."
Baker said the red setting is time to reign back interactions and large events or gatherings for everyone.
He also called for children as young as two to wear masks because they are unable to be vaccinated.
"I think it would be challenging but… the big problem is because we can't vaccinate preschool children, we have to have some way of limiting transmission," he told the Project.
Additionally, Baker warned the Omicron outbreak is likely to be short but "very intense".
"Unfortunately the virus will keep evolving so it may not be over for the foreseeable future.
"But this big pandemic wave the world is seeing at the moment with Omicron will be short but very intense."
And there could be some good news on the horizon. He said we may see a quiet patch after Omicron, which would allow variant-specific vaccines to be created.
"I think over the next few months we will see the virus start to wane again after it's infected maybe 50 percent of the world's population."
New Zealand is currently in the red traffic light setting which means gathering limits, vaccine passes, and masks requirements are in place.
