Fines if border workers refuse tests
AUCKLAND: Border workers face fines of $1000 if they refuse weekly or fortnightly Covid19 tests, as part of stiffened regulations.
But international aircrew or aircrew based in New Zealand are exempt, with airlines imposing their own testing regimes.
The changes within the order that came into effect last night cover entry via the air and maritime borders and the operation of managed isolation and quarantine facilities.
The Ministry of Health announced five new Covid19 cases yesterday — four community cases linked to the Mt Roskill church cluster and one in managed isolation.
There were three new confirmed cases on Saturday — two community cases linked to the wider Auckland cluster and one a case detected at a managed isolation facility.
A Christchurch person discussed on Saturday as being under further investigation has been confirmed as not a case of Covid19.
As of yesterday, the total number of active cases was 116.
New Zealand had its 24th Covid19 death on Friday evening — the former prime minister of the Cook Islands, Joseph Williams.
Dr Williams, who was in his 80s, was highly regarded within health services in both New Zealand and the Cook Islands. He was patron of the Pasifika Medical Association.
The regular testing of borderfacing workers was something the Government had trumpeted as part of its testing strategy at the end of June but at odds with what was happening on the ground.
The thousands of borderfacing workers, including those at maritime ports, were to be tested twice to see if there were any clues about the origins of the current outbreak. So far, noone has tested positive, and it was hoped the second round would be completed by the end of yesterday.
Starting next week, workers at a quarantine facility will be tested once a week, as will workers who transport overseas arrivals to and from such a facility.
Workers at a managed isolation facility and those driving returnees to and from such facilities will be tested once a fortnight.
Government borderfacing workers including immigration, Customs, primary industries and aviation security officials will be tested once a fortnight, as will DHB workers and retail and food and beverage workers at the airport.
Airport workers handling international baggage trolleys, airport cleaners and airline workers who interact with passengers will also be tested once a fortnight.
Port workers also have to be tested once a fortnight, including pilots and port workers who work on or around ships, and people who transport others to or from ships.
Some people will qualify to be exempt from testing for medical reasons.
Airline workers who do not interact with international arrivals will not have to be tested.
Dr Williams’ death at Auckland City Hospital marked a double tragedy for his family. The respected Mt Wellington GP’s brother Tuaine Williams (92) died peacefully a day earlier at The Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane.
Dr Williams was a former Cook Islands health minister who later led the country for four months in 1999. He was also a New Zealand First candidate in 2005.
Dr Williams was admitted to hospital on August 13 and was thought to have come in close contact with someone connected to the Auckland August cluster. His was the second death from the cluster.
The cluster, which sparked Auckland’s almost threeweek return to Level 3 lockdown, was first detected on August 11 in a family member of a worker at Americold coolstore, which is near Dr Williams’ Mt Wellington practice.