Epidemiologist calls for return to Covid alert level system

New Zealand has recorded its first case of the new Omicron subvariant BQ.1.1, RNZ reports, and epidemiologist Michael Baker said a return to some kind of alert level system could help avoid the worst in future Covid-19 waves. “We’ve already been through two big Omicron waves this year,” in March with BA.1 and BA.2 and July with BA.5, he said. “Each of these waves saw large numbers of cases, hospitalisations and deaths.”