Epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker reckons New Zealand could break the back of the Omicron wave in just a few weeks if we committed to wearing masks indoors.
He reckons now, halfway through the school holidays, is the right time for us to try it as kids aren't spreading it and bringing it home.
School holidays and empty school grounds. The grandparents are on duty, the roads are quieter and now there's an added bonus.
"It's perfect timing that the school holidays have come during this second spike," one parent told Newshub.
Despite high rates of transmission, case numbers are plateauing and that could be thanks to the winter break.
"Our children have been on holiday now for a week and that removes one site of transmission," Prof Baker said.
Prof Baker said the holidays could be the circuit-breaker needed to lower the rate of transmission. He said the virus transmits easily in schools among children.
"They're interacting very closely as we know from the number of respiratory infections they bring home to us, their parents," Prof Baker said.
What is worrying is the number of people being hospitalised and dying with COVID-19. He said everyone needs to start wearing masks indoors just like we started wearing seatbelts and driving home sober on a Saturday night.
"You drinking and driving imposes a risk on other road users, just like you not wearing a mask in social settings and workplaces and other environments poses a risk to the people around you," Prof Baker said.
And he said wearing masks indoors shouldn't just be encouraged - it must be made mandatory.
"Would really stop the pandemic almost in its tracks if we all wore masks indoors for a few weeks," he said.
But National's health spokesperson says it's a balancing act.
"It could be the perfect science that masking would have a significant impact but if New Zealanders are COVID-fatigued then it'll be really hard to deploy," Dr Shane Reti said.
Prof Baker said the choice is to go hard for a few weeks or be COVID-fatigued but dealing with ongoing deaths and hospitalisations for the foreseeable future.
