Concern over Covid handling
Eighty-year-old left in room with positive cases
A Covid-negative 80-year-old man who was left in a room with positive cases for two days now also has the virus.
Raeden Jackson was transferred to Rhoda Read Continuing Care last Thursday after having his toe surgically removed at Waikato Hospital.
He and his family say it took two days to get him out of a room shared with Covid-positive patients, but the Waikato District Health Board says patients were separated as soon as test results came back.
Two Covid cases cropped up at the Morrinsville facility two days after Jackson arrived. There are now more than seven.
Jackson, who had previously tested negative, was left in the same room as the positive cases but ‘‘didn’t want to make a fuss’’ until his family got involved. He has since contracted the virus.
However, Waikato DHB – speaking on behalf of the care facility – denies these claims, saying the ‘‘separation of residents was undertaken immediately’’.
‘‘They knew for two days that he was in the same room as Covid patients, and he was negative,’’ son Reuben Jackson said.
‘‘If this is their procedure, to let a negative patient stay in the same room as positive ones, I’m really concerned.
‘‘My dad is an 80-year-old man with diabetes and varicose issues and may need his whole foot removed. He doesn’t need this added stress.’’
The issues arose when the facility went into lockdown on Friday, after identifying two cases of Covid-19.
Waikato DHB staff immediately went to Rhoda Read to test staff and residents. Tests were given priority status and returned within 48 hours.
Assuming their dad had been removed – due to his negative result – the next day Reuben and his sister phoned in to see how he was doing and heard ‘‘people coughing in the background’’.
‘‘He hadn’t been removed from the room, so my sister laid a complaint, which the nurse said they were looking into.’’
The following day they checked in again, and found no change. Reuben Jackson complained and was told by the facility that ‘‘they were working within the DHB guidelines’’.
Two days later Raeden was transferred to a private room, but he was not re-tested until Wednesday, Reuben said.
His second test has since came back positive.
A health board spokesperson said the separation of residents was undertaken immediately after positive cases were confirmed.
As the facility is an open unit with primarily multi-bed rooms with mostly mobile patients, he said it was likely most patients had ‘‘shared spaces’’ with the initial case that was infectious.
‘‘Guidance from Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) experts was sought in relation to the appropriate management of the residents.
‘‘The IPC guidance was to put the facility into lockdown and to fast-track test results which could then inform separate cohorting of positive and negative residents.
‘‘Immediately following the return of results, residents were separated accordingly.’’
He said it is incorrect to state that this was in response to any complaint, however, didn’t comment on whether two days was an appropriate time for a patient to wait to be moved.
‘‘Waikato DHB Public health and IPC staff have supported a number of Aged Residential Care facilities through Covid-19 exposure events and these are always treated with the utmost care and an abundance of caution.’’
At least eight patients had since contracted Covid-19, with six receiving care on site and one being cared for at Waikato Hospital.
The facility will remain in lockdown until notice is given by the IPC team, WDHB said.
‘‘My dad is an 80-year-old man with diabetes and varicose issues and may need his whole foot removed. He doesn’t need this added stress. ’’
Reuben Jackson