The Ministry of Health's chief science advisor has warned COVID-19 is "not going away" and a more aggressive variant remains a possibility.
Dr Ian Town emphasised the importance of border surveillance just as the Government plans to scrap pre-departure testing next month.
COVID is no longer a concern for some Aucklanders.
"Not worried at all. I've had it and it's just business as normal I think," one told Newshub.
"I think the variants are just going to keep popping up and we sort of just need to move on with it," another said.
But there was a warning on Wednesday from the Health Ministry's chief science advisor - not to get too complacent.
"There is a small chance that in the future a more aggressive variant may be found in New Zealand," Dr Town warned. "COVID is not going away, it's a continual challenge."
The Ministry of Health's chief testing advisor Kirsten Beynon talked up the importance of variant surveillance.
"Whilst we have moved away from elimination and capturing every single case, it is important we continue to identify trends in COVID case numbers both at a local and national level. In addition, we need to monitor which variants are coming into Aotearoa and circulating in our communities," she said.
But, hang on, isn't the Government scrapping pre-departure testing next month?
"We are confident pre-departure testing will be removed by the time we come to the final phase of our reopening in July," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in May.
COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins' office gave reassurance, confirming to Newshub that surveillance testing on arrival will remain. Meaning that those landing here will still have to do two rapid antigen tests.
"Open borders will bring more variants. We therefore need to remain vigilant at our borders and within our communities," Beynon said.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health announced that 24 more people with COVID had died and there were 361 people now in hospital.
And with winter in full swing there's another worry.
"The numbers are coming down but it's going to continue to be large numbers for some months yet. And on top of that we might have a whole lot of influenza for a period of six or seven weeks to really make things complicated," said Dr Mark Thomas, associate professor in infectious diseases at the University of Auckland.
There's also Long COVID to worry about - symptoms that continue or develop after COVID‑19.
Dr Town said the Ministry of Health is working on guidelines for Long COVID that are set to be released in July.
