Nurses abused in isolation hotels

Social distancing protocols are being ignored.

People mingling with others at different points in their isolation, as children run riot in the hallways.

Nurses stationed in hotels are leaving work in floods of tears after copping abuse.

Some people are even refusing

Covid-19 tests.

These are some of the allegations made by people from two of the country’s border hotels.

The facilities have been set up with the express purpose of keeping New Zealanders safe during a global pandemic which has killed more than

451,000 people.

Jessie Phelan, 32, characterised her managed isolation experience at the Rydges Auckland hotel as being ‘‘more like incubation, not quarantine’’ – a place where ‘‘procedural basics have fallen by the wayside’’.

She flew in from Sydney with her

25-year-old husband Jordan 10 days ago, yet neither has been tested for

Covid-19.

She said individuals at varying points of isolation were mixing, and social distancing protocols haven’t been consistently enforced or adhered to. ‘‘If it’s not being done to the right standard then everyone should know, because someone needs to be accountable for it,’’ she said.

Management at these facilities have come under heavy fire after two sisters were allowed to leave their border hotel early, before testing positive for the virus.

Since then, a guest at their isolation hotel has been moved to Jet Park Hotel quarantine facility after developing Covid-19 symptoms.

‘‘Clearly, New Zealand wasn’t aware of what was going on in these facilities and that surely this whole event, with these women being released, raises a huge alarm.

‘‘If it’s not being done to the right standard then everyone should know, because someone needs to be accountable for it,’’ she said.

A few blocks away, Abigail McEwan, 35, who recently returned from the UK, has reached day 13 of her 14-day enforced stay at the Pullman Hotel. She has raised concerns about the treatment of nurses, dealing with people unwilling to undergo basic medical checks.

‘‘I have heard some horror stories — nurses have had abuse hurled at them, they’ve mentioned that they go home crying at night because of how they’re being treated by people in the hotel which is appalling.’’

A ‘‘massive problem’’ at the hotel has come to light, with several people refusing to be tested for Covid-19. One person McEwan spoke to was doing so because the test impinges on her human rights.

‘‘Some are even refusing to have their temperatures taken. Apparently, multiple people who are due to be released this weekend are refusing to have the Covid test done,’’ McEwan said.

However, director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said those who do refuse will not be able to leave a facility, as one of the requirements under the Health Act order is for those leaving to be deemed ‘‘low risk’’.

This means spending 14 days in a facility, without symptoms, and returning a negative Covid-19 test on departure.

‘‘If [people] refuse a test, they can be held for a further 14 days,’’ Bloomfield said yesterday.

McEwan also filed a complaint on Thursday after ‘‘a huge influx of new arrivals’’ were put in rooms ‘‘surrounding her’’.

‘‘They’ve been socialising in each others’ rooms. Children playing in the hallway.

‘‘And I said to the hotel, it is actually making me quite anxious because I am coming to the end of my quarantine.

‘‘I’m healthy. I’m well. I’ve followed the rules. And now I am being put at risk by people who are fresh off a flight. Yesterday, I was quite stressed about it,’’ McEwan said.

A conference room was being used as an exercise area where social distancing guidelines were regularly flouted.

Both women have empathised with those working in the facilities, sharing similar observations of ‘‘poor management’’ and communication from ‘‘higher ups’’.