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Covid-19 testing queue swells in New Plymouth — 'It is what it is'

February 15, 2021

New Plymouth community urged to get a test only if they have Covid symptoms, or at place of interest

New Plymouth residents are being urged to only go for a Covid-19 test if they are symptomatic or have been notified they were at a place of interest.

Two people who were later diagnosed with the highly-transmissible UK variant visited the region, along with two others, over Waitangi weekend.

The region in at Alert Level 2, the same as all of New Zealand except Auckland, which is at the stricter Level 3.

A testing centre at New Plymouth's Taranaki Base Hospital has been busy since 7am, after a resurgence plan was activated yesterday.

Manager Lydia Rae said people were accepting they would have to wait for a test.

"Confident, even though people will need to wait for longer than normal, that we'll be able to manage everyone's needs today and get them seen as quickly as they can," she told 1 NEWS.

They were reviewing things by the hour and were expecting queues to grow, she said. 

1 NEWS’ Kristin Hall has been visiting a testing centre in New Plymouth.

While staffing numbers had been quadrupled, she said not everyone had to rush out for a test.

"They only need to come for a test if they are symptomatic or notified if they were a place of interest , so we can prioritise their testing." 

One woman, Storm Murphy, said she had been waiting around 2.5 hours, after spending 3.5 hours on the phone last night with Healthline.

She had been at a site visited by the cases. 

"It is what it is," she said. "We've just got to get it done." 

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