The principal of Pakuranga College has slammed Ministry of Health officials for claiming his school had a positive case of Covid-19.
Mike Williams says his day was turned upside down when his college was named at today’s 1pm press conference, held by Health Minister Chris Hipkins and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield.
“It’s sloppy,” Mr Williams said. “They need to get their fact checking right.”
The principal says it raises issues of trust over what the Government says. The glitch coming at the same time the Health Minister offered an assurance the daily conferences were about the delivery of watertight information.
The Director-General of Health advised students, parents and staff at Glamorgan School, Southern Cross Campus and Taeaofou | Puaseisei Preschool to remain vigilant for symptoms.
However, the principal says the mistake threw his school community into turmoil and it took quite some time to get a correction.
He eventually received an explanation from Ministry of Education that the error related to a possible contact rather than a confirmed case.
He says the magnitude of the error raises questions about the flow of information to the public.
Mr Williams says the Ministry of Health will have to rebuild public trust - just as he now must with his school community.
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