Covid 19 coronavirus: the government asks all inhabitants of the south and west of Aucklanders to get tested for Covid-19

The government has posted an “important message” online that all southern and western Aucklanders should get tested for Covid-19 regardless of whether they have symptoms.

On the government’s Unite Against Covid-19 Facebook page, a post was made around 5pm on Saturday, asking all South and West Auckland residents to get tested.

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“If you are in the south or west of Auckland, or if you have a higher risk of poor health outcomes if you contract COVID-19, even if you do not have symptoms, get tested,” he said in the post.

For people outside of South and West Auckland, it was still recommended that they only get tested if they “develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19.”

Auckland’s combined population of west and south is 500,000 and the latest advice for those regions has generated some perplexity.

“I am so confused?!” said a commenter. “Why would someone get tested if they have no symptoms? Two weeks ago we were all told not to get tested if you had no symptoms. Honestly, this is an outright joke.”

Another replied: “It is updated according to new tests and data that is given to the Ministry of Health on a regular basis. Having a test is simply to keep this virus at bay and put a lid on it and keep it under control. People could have and he has no symptoms because he has a strong immune system. “

“Widespread testing remains a critical part of eliminating COVID-19 in our communities,” said an administrator on the Unite Against Covid-19 website.

The post was linked to lists of test stations for Auckland and the rest of New Zealand.

The message on the government’s Facebook page came as the Auckland region prepares to exit the Level 3 lockdown at 11:59 pm tonight.

There were 13 Covid-19 cases announced on Saturday, 11 in the community.

Ten are clearly epidemiologically linked to the Auckland group, the Health Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

This means that there are now 133 cases linked to the Auckland cluster and 18 to the Mt Roskill “mini-cluster”. New Zealand’s previous largest group, A Bluff Wedding, stood at 98.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson went the extra mile on Friday to have as many people as possible tested for cold or flu symptoms.

“Or if you’re connected in any way to Mount Roskill Evangelical Church or Mount Albert Elementary School, we need you to get tested today or this weekend,” Robertson said.

On Friday, the labs processed 9,991 tests while the government works to test 70,000 people for a week at a rate of 10,000 a day.

The complete and up-to-date list of testing sites in Auckland can be found at www.arphs.health.nz/covid19test

If you have any symptoms of Covid-19, you can call Healthline (0800 358 5453) to discuss the steps to get tested.