24 Jun 2020

Woman exempted from isolation told police could be called if she wasn't tested

From Morning Report, 7:15 am on 24 June 2020

Despite new rules requiring testing in isolation, between the 9 June and 16 June, 51 of the 55 people who left managed isolation on a compassionate exemption were not tested before they left their hotels according to information released released last night by the Ministry of Health.

They left managed isolation either to self-isolate in the community, or to make visits into the community.

The Ministry has been in communication with all of them

  • Thirty-nine have returned negative tests for Covid-19.
  • Seven will not be tested, either on the basis of health, because they are a child or they have left the country. 
  • One of the people counted had their application approval withdrawn before they left isolation.
  • Four are awaiting results.
  • The Ministry is working with the remaining four to get testing.

A New Zealand woman who arrived in the country nearly 4 weeks ago and was exempted twice while in mandatory isolation without being tested, says a nurse contacted her just days ago, urging her to get tested.

Caitlyn Maka says she agreed and had been in contact with the health nurse twice about her appointment to get tested.

But within hours of speaking to a nurse on Monday - Ministry of Health staff contacted her local Pasifika medical health clinic stating they were looking for her and if she wasn't found by the end of the day - she would be reported to the police.

Speaking to First Up's Indira Stewart, Maka said she arrived here on the 30 May after her father fell ill and was in mandatory isolation at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Auckland.

She was given exemptions to see her father on the 9 June and 11 June.

We have calls into the Ministry of Health for comment.