Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Hospital staff waiting for test told to return to work

Hospital staffer waiting for test told by Auckland DHB management to return to work. Photo / File

Hospital staff waiting in line to be tested for Covid-19 have reportedly been told by Auckland District Health Board management to return to work.

A contact of a nurse who tested positive for the highly contagious virus says her hospital
colleagues- who have been waiting hours in line to get tested - were being told to return to work.

Messages sent among hospital staff, seen by the Herald, show management has requested some staff to return to work.

The hospital staffer, who the Herald agreed not to name, had been waiting in line at the Northcote testing centre for almost five hours and said she had been made to feel guilty for getting a test.

"[I feel] not supported and very disappointed."

Another message reportedly from management said any staff who were asymptomatic should be at work tomorrow.

An Auckland DHB spokeswoman said they were managing the current COVID-19 outbreak in conjunction with Auckland Regional Public Health Service and following their guidance for management of potential contacts to prevent the spread of infection.

"We're strongly encouraging our staff to be tested if they're concerned and we have onsite testing facilities in multiple locations to make that as easy as possible.

"Our advice to our leaders and our staff is to support each other at this time, especially those who feel unsettled, or who have to remain home."

The DHB could not today confirm whether asymptomatic staff had been asked to return to work tomorrow even if they were still waiting on test results.

The staffer said colleagues had been "so stressed" after the demands of the winter period that for some, today was their longest break for a some time.

She said management had instructed asymptomatic staff to return to work tomorrow, even if they hadn't received their test result.

She said she had a sore throat and wasn't sure whether she would go back to work but acknowledged that "someone's got to do the work".