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An employee of the Wellington Defense Force, who contracted the coronavirus in Auckland and unknowingly brought it to the capital, was traveling to attend a course on Army values.
The course was held in a conference room within Auckland’s central apartment complex used by the Defense Forces to house personnel working in controlled isolation and quarantine facilities.
Among those attending Wednesday’s workshop was at least one staff member working at the Jet Park Hotel, the tightly controlled quarantine facility near Auckland Airport homes that confirmed cases of Covid-19.
Unconsciously, they were infectious with the virus after contracting it inside Jet Park.
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That service member infected a civilian contractor within the Defense Forces who flew in from Wellington to attend the session. That person was described by a source as a “leadership coach” who was brought into the workshops so that Army personnel would feel more free to speak their minds than with a superior officer.
Things understands that the workshop was conducted as part of an assessment of the Army’s values: collecting feedback from personnel to see if they were being put into practice.
George Block / Stuff
A Defense Force medical specialist inside the Waldorf St Martins apartment hotel Monday night.
Group Captain Glenn Gowthorpe, commander of Joint Task Force 650.7, said in an emailed statement that the workshop was not specifically dealing with Operation Protect, the Defense Force’s contribution to the Covid-19 response.
The senior Air Force officer did not reveal anything more about the workshop after inquiries from Things, citing privacy.
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A representative for the new defense minister, Peeni Henare, has been contacted for comment, but has not yet responded.
‘DISAPPOINTING’ TRANSMISSION CIRCUMSTANCES
Staff at Wednesday’s training workshop took no precautions beyond the Covid-19 alert level one rules.
That was despite the presence of a uniformed military man working inside the Jet Park quarantine hotel.
The service member, known as Case A, was unknowingly carrying the virus after contracting it while working inside Jet Park.
During the workshop they passed it on to the civilian, referred to by the Health Ministry as Case B, who flew back to Wellington on Thursday night.
None of his close contacts, other than Case B, had tested positive as of Monday.
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Sources close to the managed isolation and quarantine system, who said Things on the circumstances of the broadcast, they have expressed surprise and concern about what happened.
A manager of an agency involved in running the facility said it was “disappointing” that the civilian was flown in from Wellington to attend the meeting rather than using the teleconference, especially given the presence of at least one staff member. who works regularly within Jet Park.
The meeting took place in the conference room of the Waldorf St Martins, an apartment hotel in central Auckland hidden behind the Symonds St Cemetery near Grafton Bridge.
The military has reserved it to house nearly 250 people working in the city’s managed quarantine and isolation facilities.
The Defense Force has yet to respond to questions about the exact nature and purpose of Wednesday’s workshop, but sources described it as a “course.”
George Block / Stuff
The Waldorf St Martins apartment hotel on St Martins Lane opposite Symonds St in central Auckland, where some 250 Defense Forces personnel are staying while conducting isolation and quarantine duties at the hotel.
An emailed statement Monday night, attributed to Air Force Group Captain Glenn Gowthorpe, Commander of Joint Task Force 650.7, said it was led by two Defense Force civilians and assisted only by personnel. of the Defense Force.
Service members staying inside the Waldorf are now locked up.
“All NZDF Auckland security personnel are currently isolated in their rooms when they are not on duty at the Managed Isolation and Quarantine facility,” said Gowthorpe.
“These restrictions are currently being reviewed in consultation between the Auckland Regional Public Health Service and the NZDF, with a key focus on ensuring the safety of the people of Aotearoa.”
Things asked the Defense Force why the uniformed employee working at Jet Park was allowed to attend the course with employees from other areas, given their exposure to Covid-19 cases.
Gowthorpe said that military security personnel at the quarantine facility follow “strict guidelines from the Health Ministry” while working.
George Block / Stuff
A member of the Defense Force inside the Waldorf St Martins apartments in Auckland on Monday.
But like police and medical personnel at Jet Park, they were not locked up after hours during alert level one, he said.
“We will work with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment on how to improve the procedures for learning from this event.
“Obviously, it is a complex working environment for all agencies, and we are always examining ways to strengthen the resilience of the system that cares for our New Zealand returnees.”
All Auckland Defense Force security personnel are required to stay in their rooms when not on duty, and are told to wear masks at all times when outside of their home bubble, he said.
They were immediately called to the Waldorf and isolated when the Defense Forces learned of the positive case, Gowthorpe said.
When asked if the staff member at Wednesday’s workshop took precautions such as wearing a mask or observing social distancing in the workshop, Gowthorpe said the staff adhered to all of the Ministry of Health’s level one rules.
Those rules do not include the use of masks or physical distancing.
