Rest home nurse tests positive

no symptoms of having the virus.

She last worked at the care home on a night shift on March 15 and 16, and was wearing a mask throughout, Barlow said.

Her last contact with residents was on March 17 at 6.30am and she started developing symptoms only on March 18.

She was told to seek medical advice on March 19 when she developed a sore throat.

Barlow said Ellerslie Gardens Lifecare was put into immediate lockdown from 3pm yesterday when the positive result came out. Visiting was cancelled and 11 residents who were under the staff member’s care have been put into isolation. None were showing symptoms of Covid-19, Barlow said, and none had been tested for the virus. A family member of an 80-year-old resident said it was ridiculous residents were not being tested.

He said he was disappointed about the lack of urgency in making sure all residents were safe.

‘‘I asked when they will start testing the residents and they said they wouldn’t, they were only isolating them,’’ he said.

‘‘Why are they not testing these vulnerable residents?

‘‘There are at least 12 rooms on my dad’s hallway that this staff member looks after. None of them are below 65, they are all extremely old.’’

He said his dad was not displaying any symptoms of the virus. ‘‘He has lived a full live, he says he is OK and that it is what it is – he has a seaman’s attitude.

‘‘But I am just blown away about the lack of safety precautions in the rest home.’’

Barlow said she felt for the family member and understood his distress but testing for Covid19 was a Ministry of Health decision.

The rest home had put in urgent safety measures as per the ministry’s guidelines but any form of testing would be decided by the ministry, she said.

The staff member was in isolation at home and was in a stable condition, Barlow said.