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A National Party staff member returned to work in Parliament after working for the Defense Forces in a managed isolation facility, despite being asked to stay away until health officials gave them the go-ahead. .
After the most recent outbreak, which involved Defense Force personnel, the Parliamentary Service asked the staff member to remain off-site for a period.
Instead, the person sent an email to the Parliamentary Service on Monday asking to return early. The Parliamentary Services relented and indicated that the staff could return to the parliamentary compound if the health councils of the Ministry of Health suggested that they were low risk.
ROBERT KITCHEN / Things
A National staff member has returned to Parliament shortly after a stint working at MIQ.
The staff member returned on Wednesday, before the health tips were received.
The health council confirmed that the staff member could return to work without a retirement, but the staff member’s actions put multiple noses on Parliament.
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President Trevor Mallard said he had “concerns” with that health council and had asked the staff member not to return to Parliament for two more days while he sought more advice.
A spokesman for the National Party said the employee was already authorized to work, after receiving full advice from the Health Ministry.
“We have a member of staff who recently spent time outside Parliament in a zero contact role in a managed isolation facility.
“Before returning to work, we sought the advice of the Ministry of Health, through the Parliamentary Service, and the advice was that it was safe for [them] to return immediately. “
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In Monday’s email, the staff member defended his early return, noting that the latest group came from a quarantine rather than a managed isolation facility. They said there were no “shared facilities” between managed isolation and quarantine and that there had been no positive cases at the managed isolation facility where they worked for more than a month.
They also said that they were not allowed to be on the same floors or “anywhere near the returnees” and that they had no contact with anyone in the Defense Forces group, and that they had not been “anywhere near” the places of interest in the group.
The staff member said they would continue to undergo weekly Covid-19 tests and that if they showed any symptoms of Covid-19, they would be placed in self-isolation for “several days” and would be required to take another test.
Rosa Woods / Stuff
Spokesperson Trevor Mallard was concerned about advice given to a National staff member.
They also said that the Ministry of Health hotline said that “there was no reason to [they] I shouldn’t be at work. “
It is understood that given the extremely low level of contact the staff member had at the MIQ premises, the Parliamentary Service was glad that he returned, awaiting health advice.
The staff member returned before the health council was finalized.
Mallard said the board of health had cleared the employee, but he still had concerns.
“The Ministry of Health in the advice that has been provided has indicated that, in their opinion, there is no need to withdraw.
“I am concerned about advice and extensive high-risk broadcasting, especially once all MPs return to Parliament next week and therefore I have asked that the person not enter the buildings today [Wednesday] and tomorrow [Thursday] while I get more advice, ”Mallard said.
The original two-week suspension was applied to staff the last time they worked at an MIQ facility when they had had contact with shared spaces at the facility.
The staff member, given that his new role at MIQ had no contact with the guests, wanted the booth removed.
People in the House are unhappy that staff were allowed to return before the suspension period was complete.
The return potentially exposes National to charges of hypocrisy, as the party has spent much of the year criticizing the government for lax border measures.
Parliament has maintained rigorous measures to stop the spread of the virus.
During the highest alert levels, the speaker maintained a cap on the number of staff allowed on the premises and imposed strict social distancing in the discussion room.
