An emergency doctor says there is massive pressure on the health system as a whole.
Hutt Hospital emergency physician Dr Tanya Wilton told Checkpoint there are already gaps in rosters, with staff taking sick leave on top of that.
"You're never quite sure who's going to turn up to work beside you... We're often running from one thing to the next.
"Whatever we can do to take the pressure off the health system would be a bonus.
"I would love to see schools bring back the mandate for kids to be wearing masks."
