And now this pathetic report from New Zealand, stuff.co.nz on 8 March 2020 - a country where there are only 5 cases and is yet reporting the health care service breaking under this? Heaven forbid they actually have an epidemic.
"We are stretched. We are really stretched," said Powell.
"It's not just our doctors and nurses, it's our laboratory staff and our radiologists."
"There are a whole lot of people in the hospital system that are stretched. There isn't any more give in our system anymore, we are at our limit."
Powell said DHBs needed to be treating clinical frontline staff "properly", including making sure they were adequately protected at work.
"They'll work themselves to exhaustion. They'll give it their all for their patients, really put themselves at risk because they care.
"They are carers. They work long hours, they suffer burnout, they're a dedicated, truly committed bunch of people."
As such, DHBs needed to make care of staff a "priority". "You've got to look after them. They will look after the patients."