23 Feb 2022

Covid-19 cases among anti-mandate protesters at Parliament

6:04 pm on 23 February 2022

There have been at least two positive Covid-19 test results among the anti-mandate protesters in Wellington.

Anti-vaccine, anti-mandate protest in Wellington on Parliament grounds on 16 February 2022. Police standing on forecourt.

Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver

The Ministry of Health said the infected people had been told to self-isolate.

However, it would not say if the cases were among those who had been arrested in the past few days.

Earlier today, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said a team of staff working at the protest had caught Covid-19 and while it had not been linked to protesters, it "stands to reason" the coronavirus is there.

He told Morning Report even if the virus was not at the protest "it will be soon".

On Guildford Terrace in Thorndon, St Mary's College will move to learning from home from tomorrow until at least Tuesday.

Principal Andrew Murray said it was unsafe to walk around Thorndon's shops and school buses could not operate. There were also several cases of Covid-19 in the school community.

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