Covid 19 coronavirus: Confusion over supermarket visit timings of infectious air crew member

The Auckland Regional Public Health Service and Ministry of Health showed two different times for a supermarket visit by a Covid-positive Air New Zealand crew member. Photo / Supplied

An Auckland health authority has twice corrected the time when a covid-infected person visited an Auckland supermarket on Friday after two official websites gave conflicting information.

The blunder comes as Aucklanders are once more on high alert after an Air New Zealand crew member tested positive for Covid-19 when they arrived in Shanghai this week.

Yesterday six businesses across Auckland were flagged as locations of interest.

Staff and shoppers at a Mt Roskill paint store and Manukau pet store were told to get tested and self-isolate while three supermarkets and a petrol station were flagged as locations of interest.

Public health officials said shoppers at the locations at the same time as the person was considered "low risk" and should watch for symptoms, and if they develop, get a test and isolate.

However, this morning Auckland Regional Public Health said one of the visits to a supermarket on Friday was incorrect and issued a new time, putting it around two hours later.

But even with the amended time, the Ministry of Health website continued to show a different time for the visit.

The public were initially advised the air crew member had shopped in Countdown Papatoetoe between 2.45pm and 2.51pm last Friday.

The regional health service updated the time, saying the person was in the Papatoetoe store between 5.09pm and 5.22pm.

But the Ministry of Health website showed the infectious crew member visited the store at 7.09 until 7.22pm.

When approached for clarification, the regional public health service said there had been a second error and corrected the information.

The location of interest timings are now aligned with the Ministry of Health.

Friday, 20 November

• BP Connect petrol station, 154 Coronation Rd, Mangere, between 9.28am and 9.35am
• Resene Mt Roskill between 11.45am and 12.15pm
• Countdown Papatoetoe between 7.09pm and 7.22pm
• New World Papatoetoe between 7.29pm – 7.43pm

Saturday, 21 November

• Pharmacy at Countdown Greenlane between 12.34pm and 12.42pm
• Animates Manukau between 1.20pm and 2.11pm