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The New Zealand Nurses Organization says the news that an Auckland quarantine worker tested positive for Covid-19 last night “was disappointing and concerning, but not surprising at all.”
Security in a managed isolation facility. Source: 1 NEWS
The individual had recently been removed as part of routine testing at Māngere’s Jet Park quarantine facility on Tuesday, November 3, and returned a negative test the next day.
They were tested again after developing symptoms on Thursday, where they tested positive, the Health Ministry said last night.
It is the third case of a staff member at an isolation facility testing positive for the virus, after two nurses tested positive earlier this month in Christchurch.
NZNO Associate Director of Professional Services Kate Weston said in a statement today that the Manukau County Board of Health (CMDHB) had failed to address serious systemic issues at Auckland’s managed isolation and quarantine facilities ( MIQ) since taking over as employer of clinical staff in late September.
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Kerri Nuku from the New Zealand Nursing Organization said the system has failed health workers. Source: 1 NEWS
“Members tell us that there is not constant access to N95 masks and that they are not being fit tested for these masks, which is important for their safe use,” he said.
“While the DHB says they have been fit testing for the past two weeks, the DHB was unable to tell us how many staff members had been tested or when procedures to fit all staff would be in place.
“Similarly, they do not have clear plans that address our members’ understaffing report with the urgency required.”
Weston said “inadequate access to PPE and poor training in its use” has been a long-standing problem “since it all started, and here we are again.”
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The intensive care nurse has criticized the way the Commodore facilities are run. Source: 1 NEWS
“That this is still happening is completely shocking and a matter of great public concern,” he said.
“New Zealand is in a privileged position internationally, but the workers who protect our borders are becoming infected because an overwhelmed system cannot cope. More must be done to protect our workers and protect our community.”
Weston renewed the request for a full and urgent review of how MIQ facilities are run to identify systemic failures “across the board and address them urgently.”
It comes after NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku called for an urgent review on Wednesday following the discovery of positive cases in Christchurch, which it said shows there is “a glitch somewhere in the system.”
“While we have two healthcare workers today, who knows what it will be like in the future, so we need to understand now what the pressure points are.”
NZNO is currently in discussions with various DHBs and is also working closely with other unions affiliated with the Council of Trade Unions and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to develop a Labor Participation Agreement.
The agreement will help ensure worker participation and representation of all workers at MIQ facilities in all health and safety matters.
“The different layers of protection that we have are working together to prevent and manage risks,” the Ministry of Health said in the statement at 1:00 pm today, where it was confirmed that the worker was the only new case of Covid- 19 in New Zealand.
“Managed isolation workers are tested regularly. As in other recent cases, this worker was quickly tested as soon as he became aware of symptoms. Early identification of cases along with rapid contact tracing helps. to stop the spread of the virus.
“We want to acknowledge the important work that is being done at the New Zealand managed quarantine and isolation facilities.
“Thanks to our workers, tens of thousands of people have returned from abroad and completed their safely managed isolation stay, before returning to the communities.
“We take the safety of our workers and their families, whānau and communities in general very seriously. That’s because people who work in managed isolation and quarantine facilities do essential work to keep Covid-19 out of Aotearoa. “.
