Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Thames-Coromandel Mayor Goudie backtracks on Tracer app comments

Thames-Coromandel District Mayor Sandra Goudie.

Thames-Coromandel Mayor Sandra Goudie is now urging people to use the Covid Tracer app after earlier controversial comments on her own use of the app sparked a backlash.

"The Covid Tracer app is a vital part of staying safe," she said in a written statement released this afternoon.

"I am urging anyone who must leave their home to scan in at every location. This is all part of hunkering down and doing all the right things. No question," said Goudie.

Mayor Goudie told Radio New Zealand's Checkpoint on Tuesday that she would not normally scan in when visiting locations.

During the interview, she said the Covid-19 community case would "probably not" push her to scan more either, saying "It's very hit-and-miss for me".

This afternoon, in the written statement, she said she had been "upfront" about her app use.

"When the news of an outbreak came through I had been off the grid and was too relaxed about my own complacency with scanning. I was upfront that my app use has been hit-and-miss, but there's no question I'll be using it now.

"We must all hunker down and do the right thing – isolate, wear masks and use the app if you must leave the house to go to an approved venue. We've been here before and we'll get through this again."

She said additional pop-up testing sites are now in operation in Coromandel town and Thames and that the council will do everything it can to keep its communities safe.

Her earlier radio comments angered some people.

Councillor Gary Gotlieb, who denounced the mayor's comments to Radio NZ show Checkpoint, said he had received emails and calls from people critical of the mayor's radio comments.

In his opinion: ''It looks so bad to have someone from Thames-Coromandel District Council speak like this."

Gotlieb also said, in his view: "It reflects not only on her but the councillors because we are all part of the council and the ratepayers in the area."

The council advised residents that pop-up testing sites are now open in Coromandel town and Thames at the carpark of TCDC Coromandel Office, 355 Kapanga Rd, Coromandel town and carpark of the Te Korowai Hauora O Hauraki offices, 210 Richmond St, Thames.

Details of testing hours and GPs providing assessment and testing are on the Waikato DHB website.

If you have cold or flu-like symptoms and are concerned about your risk of Covid-19, ring Healthline (0800 358 5453).