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This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and republished with permission.
The government is allowing isolation facilities to be oversold so that full capacity is reached, even if there are last minute cancellations or no shows.
The government has been using 32 hotels to house people during their 14-day stay in managed isolation after entering New Zealand.
Dom Thomas / RNZ
To ensure there are no empty rooms due to cancellations, the Government is overbooking managed seclusion hotels.
In early November, those eager to return to New Zealand for Christmas were warned about filling up available spaces.
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Just three days later, it was announced that all venues were sold out, until Boxing Day.
This prompted Air Commodore Darryn Webb, who heads managed isolation and quarantine, to add an additional 100 rooms between Dec. 13-23, to accommodate more people.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today that the supply of rooms was severely limited by the number of hotels that were operating.
To make sure there were no empty rooms from cancellations, they were overbooking hotels, he said.
“We’re allowing a bit of overbooking on the basis that we know we have a no-show ratio,” Hipkins said.
“So we can dive into the contingency that we have and take a little more risk of system overbooking, on the basis that we know we can adapt to that.”
THINGS
A collaborative exhibition between Accor Hotels and New Zealand artist Ruby Jones has turned the appreciation of MIQ residents into art.
‘This is the price we have to pay to stop Covid-19’
Meanwhile, the government will consider long-term funding for the managed insulation in the next week.
The operation of the hotels is costing the country 2.4 million dollars a day and the budget will be exceeded before December 31.
“We are going to do this for a while, so the Cabinet will consider funding for that,” Hipkins told RNZ.
“It is an expensive system. We do what we can to keep costs down, but there is no question that the security involved, the medical care and health checks involved are expensive.
“This is the price we have to pay to prevent Covid-19 from entering the country.”
He added that they were considering using debt collectors to make sure people paid their bill for staying in a managed isolation facility.
About a third of the people who have been billed for their stays have not paid yet, more than three months later.
Warning issued for new skins
Hipkins also raised concerns about the switch to N95 masks by isolation and quarantine workers.
A new guide on masks was issued in late November, telling workers that they should wear tighter masks when in closed confines with potential Covid-19 cases.
They wore less protective surgical masks for protection.
However, if not fitted properly, N95 masks may be less effective than surgical masks.
“N95 masks need to fit specifically, you need to get the correct fit for your N95 mask, or you are potentially increasing your risk,” Hipkins said.
“There are a number of issues that are being resolved at the moment, to make sure that people wear the proper masks, so that they can wear them to stay safe.”
Training for the donning and use of special masks is expected this month for workers.
CONTROL POINT / RNZ
A Covid-19 contact tracing card tested by iwi volunteers has earned the nod for being convenient and easy to use, especially for those who are not tech-savvy, says Te Arawa kaumātua Monty Morrison (first published on November 25, 2011).
Bluetooth announcement before Christmas
Chris Hipkins also promised that the government would make an announcement before Christmas about the use of bluetooth as part of the country’s track and trace system.
Authorities have been working since March to get the technology operational, but so far they have been unsuccessful.
Progress has been affected by delays and disputes. The initial test of the “Covid Card” in Rotorua finally took place in November, a month late.
It was tricky because Sam Morgan, the founder of Trade Me, who was an early government partner in technology, withdrew from the trial in early September.
The technology was well received for being convenient and easy to use.
The government has also noted that the official Covid Tracer smartphone app could use similar bluetooth functionality.
How the technology will be implemented and in what capacity will be announced shortly.
Hipkins said that part of what was being considered were privacy concerns.
“One of our underlying principles in New Zealand has continued to be the protection of people’s privacy.
“We continue to work on the basis that if we were to implement bluetooth, people would own their data. So we would not necessarily be turning on bluetooth and collecting that data, people would have a choice there.”
This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and republished with permission.
