8 Oct 2020

Woman with extreme nosebleeds in managed isolation denied option for throat swab test

From Morning Report, 7:43 am on 8 October 2020

A woman who has extreme nosebleeds is being refused the option of a Covid-19 throat swab in managed isolation - and is being labelled a test dodger by those in charge.

Karolina Jordan is in her eighth day of managed isolation alone at the Ibis in Rotorua and becoming increasingly distressed.

RNZ has seen a medical certificate from Jordan's New Zealand GP saying she should have a throat swab because of her condition.

Her husband, Warwick Jordan, told our health correspondent Rowan Quinn that every day for the past four she has been told she must have a nasal swab - which she refuses .

If she doesn't she'll have to stay longer.

Rotorua's public health authority Toi Te Ora sent RNZ a statement saying a throat swab is less accurate than a nasal one and could return a false negative.

It says it needs to balance the welfare of returning travellers with protecting the public from Covid-19.

If returnees do not have a nasal swab, the longer stay helps ensure they are no longer at risk of having an unrecognised infection.