Covid-19: Why are case numbers still going up despite lockdowns and vaccine rates?

Auckland’s Delta Covid-19 outbreak continues to grow with each passing day, Stuff reports. Te Pūnaha Matatini Covid-19 modeller and University of Auckland physics professor Shaun Hendy says the rising case numbers can be partially attributed to slightly relaxed level 3 restrictions, and potentially a degree of complacency creeping in. The outbreak remains on track to double the number of new cases within about a two-week period, Hendy says, adding we don’t have a choice but to bring that down, or we will “crash our health system”. University of Auckland Associate Professor and vaccinologist Dr Helen Petousis-Harris says vaccines “make a big difference”, as unvaccinated people make up the vast majority of cases.