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Head of MIQ 'really happy' with performance despite plague of issues at isolation facilities

February 3, 2021

Brigadier Jim Bliss says he's "really happy" with the performance despite a facility closing after multiple people spread Covid-19.

Despite a recent spate of issues, the head of New Zealand's managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) is "very happy" with its current performance.

Managed isolation facilities were initially set up last year so the Government and health authorities had control over new arrivals into the country as they isolated for 14 days to ensure they didn't have Covid-19 and didn't introduce it into the community.

But it's been plagued by issues since the beginning. 

Returnees weren't tested before being released into the community, including when they were granted an exemption to leave early . When testing was announced, returnees complained it was weeks before it was actually rolled out .

Workers at the facilities complained they lacked adequate PPE and also weren't being tested for Covid-19, despite being allowed in the community outside of work.

Last month, three people contracted Covid-19 from other returnees while isolating at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland - one of whom only tested positive after she was released back into the community.

And just last week, a staffer at the Grand Millennium Hotel was sacked following a 20-minute bedroom "encounter" .

New Zealand Army Brigadier Jim Bliss took on the role as head of MIQ after his predecessor, Air Commodore Darryn Webb, left last December. 

Speaking to Breakfast today, he's defending the organisation.

"Last week we brought our 100,000th New Zealander safely back through the border in the midst of a global pandemic," he says.

"I've been really happy with the way that the team is performing at the moment in achieving that kind of milestone, I think is really fantastic." 

The Covid-19 Response Minister spoke about the incident at Auckland's Grand Millennium Hotel.

Bliss says managed isolation and quarantine is "always evolving" and was "built from the ground up during a global pandemic".

Addressing the issues at the Pullman, where people were able to mingle with other arrivals to the point Covid-19 was contracted, he says they're not bespoke managed isolation facilities.

"The protocols in the Pullman at the moment are appropriate, and so it's a very big facility and you must use the lift to access the outside areas for exercise."

"We are looking at changing and tightening protocols around things like movement in communal areas and use of lifts to reduce the opportunity or potential that Covid could be passed from returnee to returnee, or returnee to staff."

One of those new protocols means people now need to book in advance to go to the exercise space or smoke, Bliss says.

Previously, the lack of restrictions meant people from different flights and different arrival dates were able to be in the space at the same time, despite being meant to be in isolation.

As far back as last June, returnees told 1 NEWS they were concerned they were mixed with people from other flights.

"At the moment we are maximising the capacity of MIQ and we have around about 4500 rooms which we utilise," Bliss says. 

"Those hotels, some of them are up around 300 rooms so we do occupy those with different flights from different countries at the moment."

While the capacity is being maximised according to officials, Kiwis have found themselves struggling to book slots in the voucher system.

The border is officially closed and only New Zealand citizens and permanent residents, who legally cannot be denied entry under the Bill of Rights Act, are allowed in unless they're granted an exemption.

Rebecca Bell considers herself lucky after she managed to secure a flight and managed isolation spot after months of trying.

But those citizens and permanent residents are struggling to get in.

As flights and airlines are separate from the MIQ booking system, there's also no way to rebook if your flight gets delayed or postponed . Instead, people have to cancel their initial voucher and try to book another, with slots until June currently booked out.

On Sunday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told people to continue checking regularly as cancelled vouchers will return into the system - but on Monday, a MIQ spokesperson confirmed that's not happening while the Pullman is out of commission.

Despite the wide ranging issues, Bliss says they "strive for perfection".

"Our process is to keep one step ahead of any changes for a global pandemic ... Over 100,000 New Zealanders have come back through our MIQ system and have done so safely and largely leave those facilities with a very positive mind state or impression of MIQ."

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