Covid 19 coronavirus: ex-nurse attacked at Wynyard Quarter ‘ghastly’ testing station

A former ICU nurse criticized conditions at a Covid-19 testing station in central Auckland, saying she is dismayed by the delays, understaffing and lack of PPE.

But health authorities have defended the station, saying it is being managed well despite high demand and that it operates safely in accordance with the Ministry of Health guidelines.

The 47-year-old man, who asked not to be identified, arrived at the Wynyard Quarter test station around 9:30 am today for a check following the announcement of a new community infection in the central city yesterday.

And despite being the first in a queue of vehicles, she left after 90 minutes, still waiting to be examined.

The woman told the Herald staff that they would test a row of pedestrians first. About 30 pedestrians were waiting to be tested.

He was instructed to get out of his car and line up on foot. She refused, saying that she did not want to expose herself to other people who were potentially infectious.

She said the station appeared to have only two staff members conducting tests that caused delays. Although they wore full PPE (personal protective equipment), the rest of the security personnel only wore cloth surgical masks, he said.

“We know that’s not enough. All of these people should wear appropriate N95 masks and face shields.

“As a nurse, I find it appalling.”

A member of the security staff dealing with people in the pedestrian line and speaking to potentially infectious patients through car windows told him that the station had been delayed.

The woman said that given what we knew about the virus, officials needed to be able to mobilize the test stations quickly and respond swiftly when outbreaks occurred in the community.

“Why are these personnel not properly equipped?

“It must be a well-oiled machine. There must be enough staff.”

After waiting about 90 minutes, he left at 11 a.m. without getting tested. There was a queue of about 70 cars behind her that hadn’t moved an inch.

The woman had now booked for a test with her GP and filed a formal complaint with Auckland Regional Public Health.

A spokesperson for the Northern Region Health Coordination Center (DHB COVID-19 response from Waitematā, Auckland, and Manukau counties) acknowledged that there had been a high demand for testing in Wynyard Quarter this morning.

They thanked Auckland locals for doing the right thing and seeking proof.

“The pop-up CTC in the Wynard Quarter opened on time at 9:30 am this morning with two test teams in place and they are driving well despite high demand.

“We want to remind people that emerging CTCs are being activated to complement our other trial openings, including six permanent CTCs and general practice and urgent care clinics across the city. We encourage people to find the best fit for them. them by visiting arphs. health.nz/covid19test.

The spokesperson also defended that the personal protective equipment used by the personnel at the test station is safe.

“Follow the Ministry of Health guidelines developed by experts in public health and infectious diseases to protect both health personnel and the public. It is incorrect to suggest otherwise.

“The emerging Wynard Quarter Community Testing Center (CTC) is also an example of extraordinary speed and agility in the healthcare system that enables additional testing at locations to meet demand. It was organized within hours yesterday afternoon. late, much faster than we were able to trigger the emerging tests in the August outbreak.

“We want to thank the Wynard Quarter test team for their efforts and acknowledge that they are operating this test center with experience and in line with best practices.”