Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield has had to walk back comments made by himself and the prime minister yesterday about the country having achieved elimination.

New Zealand has been hailed in international media including TheNew YorkTimesand TheDaily Telegraphas having won the battle in eliminatingCovid-19.

While elimination has been achieved at alert level four giving Dr Bloomfield the confidence to move the country into level three the war has not been won.

At yesterdays daily press conference Bloomfield was asked whether New Zealand had achieved elimination.

It was his answer that weve achieved [elimination] through alert level 4 and the prime minister chipping in that New Zealand currently had eliminated the virus that resulted in yesterdays confusion.

Realising the waters had been muddied, Bloomfield arrived at Parliament today armed with a clarification.

Asked whether he accepted yesterdays remarks had given the country and the rest of the world a false impression, and whether he was concerned New Zealanders would be breathing a sigh of relief at a time they should still be vigilant, Bloomfield didnt mince his words.

I can just clarify we havent eliminated it, and we havent eradicated it.

He said elimination is about having a low number of cases, and a knowledge of where theyre coming from and identifying people early.

Then its a case of stamping out the virus and continuing to maintain strict border restrictions to be sure no new cases are being imported.

Elimination is by no means eradication and the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said this is a situation of entering into the world of epidemiologist-speak.

And they know well what each of these terms mean in a health sense, but of course in an every day sense they mean, often, something different.

Elimination doesnt mean zero cases we will have to keep stamping Covid out until theres a vaccine, she said.

Nationals health spokesperson Michael Woodhouse said Bloomfield probably felt the need to clarify on behalf of the prime minister.

This underscores the importance of talking in plain English. The public are not epidemiologists, they dont have the same information the prime minister has and its really important they get on the same page, talk in English, and make it clear to New Zealanders where were at and how weve got to stay there.

Bloomfield finished todays media conference doing his best to unmuddy the waters.

Well I hope my explanation today has helped to clarify if there was mud yesterday, the water is clearer today and I hope you all have a good understanding of that and New Zealanders do.

Like many people today, Bloomfield said he too enjoyed a take-away coffee but he warned how important it is not to undo the good work that has already been done.

And that means not congregating with friends outside cafes or restaurants.

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