High-risk and unvaccinated people who contract Covid-19 will be managed separately from the rest of the population to make sure they remain safe.

Te Marae Ora, Ministry of Health boss Bob Williams said high-risk people which includes the unvaccinated, will be identified and monitored separately to ensure they are protected as best as possible.

“If these people are managed properly when there is a case, the chances of them making it to the hospital is very small,” he said.

The management of high-risk people includes daily phone consultations, mobile security, Puna community support, and nurse or doctor visits if required, said Williams.

The flag system that was established in March 2020 will be used to identify those at high-risk with an orange flag posted outside their property for awareness.

High-risk could mean someone with a non-communicable disease, underlying health issues, elderly or unvaccinated.

Williams hopes the mitigation strategy will avoid high-risk people going to hospital.

He said if people who are unvaccinated do not want to be managed separately from the rest of the population it was their own personal choice.

Williams said the risk of Covid-19 entering the country has been here since the borders opened.

“We are expecting it, it's just timing when,” he said.

“We have been grateful that for over two weeks now we haven't had anything.”

Williams said the ministry of health had already identified close contacts from New Zealand who all returned negative results.