Pub closed for two weeks after visit from infected patron

AUCKLAND: The owner of a pub in the country’s latest Covid19 hot spot has had to close for 14 days after an infected patron spent more than three hours there last Friday night.

Kevin McVicar, who runs The Malt in the North Shore suburb of Greenhithe, has been told by the Ministry of Health his staff have to selfisolate for 14 days from Friday last week.

Staff who tested negative for Covid could go back to work, but Mr McVicar said eight of his 16 staff were working on Friday night and they had to stay in selfisolation for 14 days, regardless of their test results.

Because at least half his staff were down and all three managers had been working on Friday night, he was unable to reopen for 14 days, Mr McVicar said.

He still had to pay rent, bank loans and wages, which he hoped might qualify the business for a subsidy for two weeks.

The pub closure comes as two new cases of Covid19 in managed isolation were announced yesterday.

Directorgeneral of health Ashley Bloomfield said the Government was interested in whether there were any indications the alert level needed to change, but

the ministry was not recommending that at this stage.

He has, however, warned people would need to be diligent, especially at hospitality venues.

Dr Bloomfield also encouraged people to continue using masks

on public transport.

It was also important people keep using the Covid Tracer app, Dr Bloomfield said.

In Greenhithe yesterday, a suburb of 9000 where everyone knows everyone, residents rever

ted to social distancing, wearing masks and flocked to be tested at a popup station in a local park.

A man who went on to test positive for Covid19 visited an Auckland marine supply store at the weekend — but staff and fellow shoppers are not considered to be close contacts.

The man visited the Burnsco Gulf Harbour store on Sunday, a company spokeswoman said.

‘‘They had no symptoms at the time, their visit was brief with limited interaction with people and no customers or staff are considered to be close contacts,’’ she said.

Health authorities notified store management on Wednesday night of the visit as a courtesy.

The store was thoroughly cleaned before opening for trading yesterday, on top of its regular stringent protocols.

It also emerged yesterday a pupil from New Zealand’s biggest school, Rangitoto College, is in isolation after a person in their household tested Covid positive.

Dr Bloomfield said the risk to the college community was low as the pupil tested negative and was only at school briefly. — The New Zealand Herald