Contact of positive Covid-19 case speaks of packed flight, describes managed isolation as 'a disgrace'

The man was pulled from a transfer flight at the last minute.

A confirmed contact of one of this week's five positive Covid-19 cases has described managed isolation as “a disgrace” after he was pulled from a transfer flight at the last minute, because he hadn’t been tested.  

Rakaia man Todd Ealam was on the same packed flight from Melbourne as this week’s third new case – the man in his 60’s who originally flew from Pakistan and transited via the Australian city as well as Doha.

He said the flight was “crammed”.

“I was very surprised how many people were actually on the plane, there was full rows just about everywhere, no PPE provided so it was a bit concerning,” he said.

He spent his first six days in isolation at Auckland’s Four Points Sheraton, but when he was offered a transfer flight to Christchurch, he jumped at the chance to be closer to home when his isolation ended.

Mr Ealam was signed out by officials yesterday, and was put on a transfer bus along with guests from other hotels to Auckland Airport.

He said he was minutes from boarding when he got a confusing call.

“I received a call from the Ministry of Health. They said I couldn’t get on the flight because I’d been on the plane from Melbourne and I hadn’t been tested since landing in New Zealand.”

He said he hadn’t previously been identified as a contact of the man, and had only been able to guess based on media reports.

“They said ‘have you checked out of your hotel?’ and I said yes cause I'm on a repatriation flight back to Christchurch.

"They didn't seem to know anything about this flight happening… then they pretty much said I'm not allowed to go on the flight.

"They were surprised this whole thing was happening, they thought I was still supposed to be at the hotel and I'd just walked out of quarantine early.”

Mr Ealam said he was gutted by the call as he had done everything right, as far as he knew.

“You get your hopes up and it was literally 15-20 minutes before I was going to be on the plane… I definitely think it was pretty rough.”

He said his bag had already been put on the plane, and he wasn’t able to get it back.

Twenty-four hours later, he still only has the clothes he was wearing at the time and his phone.

He was told to wait at the airport but said nobody from the Ministry came for him.

“They said ‘look, you're going to be put in another hotel’, they didn't say why. Nobody actually came for me, luckily there was two police officers who escorted me.”

Mr Ealan said he walked the 1.5 kilometres from the domestic terminal to the Novotel Airport, wearing gloves and a mask. But the new hotel wasn’t expecting him.

“At the hotel they were like, ‘Who are you? What are you doing here? We haven't heard anything about you’. It was definitely the left hand not talking to the right.”

Earlier this week, 1 NEWS spoke to Cayden Wilson, a contact of the two positive cases from the UK. He was successfully transferred to Christchurch without needing to return a negative test.

One guest said there was no Covid-19 testing before guests from different hotels mingled during the transfer.

The All-of-Government Response Team said he was one of 14 positive-case contacts who were transferred before receiving a negative test result.

It said all 14 people have since been tested for Covid-19, 13 have come back negative with one result still pending.  It said that person was showing no signs of illness.

1 NEWS wanted to know if the officials in charge of New Zealand’s Covid-19 response approve of positive-case contacts being transferred before testing negative for the virus.

According to rules set out by the Ministry of Heath on June 9, new arrivals are supposed to be tested on day 3 and day 12 of their isolation, and return a negative test before leaving isolation facilities.

The Government had said people would have to return a negative test before being let out.

Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the transfer process was safe.

“The key point here is remember they’re being transferred under a strict dedicated flight to a managed isolation facility, so it’s a very contained and supervised process. As long as the procedures are appropriate, then it’s perfectly safe,” he told media today.

Air Commodore Darryn Webb, the new man in charge of managed isolation, said in a statement that while transferred isolation guests are supposed to be tested on arrival in Christchurch, that hasn’t always happened as quickly as it should have.

“For the flight last Monday 15 June, the swabbing in Christchurch did not happen in as timely a manner as we would expect – this process has now been improved,” he said in a statement.

“Before they leave the Auckland hotel, they were health screened including temperature taken, symptom check completed and asked a number of health questions in line with the agreed process.

"They are not cleared for travel or put on those flights if they show any signs of illness.”

That advice contrasts with the advice given to Mr Ealam who was told he couldn’t board the flight without returning a negative test.

“A real disgrace and a real disappointment actually. We've had this long enough now, you'd think you'd be able to run things pretty smoothly by now, but it’s been very far from it. I find it really discouraging.”

A week since he arrived, and four days since he was supposed to have been tested for Covid-19, he’s still waiting.

“They’re saying we can't go home if we don't have a negative result, so start testing us! I'm happy to get a test, I’m not refusing it…I just want to go home.”

Have you flown on an isolation transfer flight to Christchurch? Do you have a story about managed isolation? Contact our reporter Kristin Hall on kristin.hall@tvnz.co.nz.

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