Although PM Jacinda Ardern said alert level 3 had played a critical role in finding the outbreak's perimeter Cabinet will reconsider any shift down levels on Monday. Video / Pool
More than 220 families in isolation because a member has contracted Covid-19 or was a close contact of a positive case have sought help from a Pacific community support group.
More than 75 Aucklanders have tested positive to the virus during the recent resurgence in community transmission, most of them Pacific people.
That led health and wellbeing group The Fono to report it had been working "overtime" to mobilise medical support and other resources for these families.
That included assisting health authorities with mobile testing and contact tracing and also sending support workers to visit the homes of those who had been in close contact with a person who had tested positive to the virus.
Chief executive Tevita Funaki said his staff were also in daily contact with those who had tested positive and needed reassurance and comfort during this tough time.
"The families are nervous. There is a level of anxiety there," he said.
"They need to know that this is not their fault. They should be applauded for getting tested and protecting our community."
Funaki said his team tailored their support to each family's needs.
"Because these families have to stay home, they can't go out and do shopping. So part of the immediate assessment is the basic needs, like food," he said.
"So, we provide them with food packages to get them by."
The next concern many faced was not being able to work and the worry about how they will pay the bills.
"We can provide some immediate financial support until we can connect them to services that can help them in the long term," Funaki said.
This included providing families with nappies, sanitising products and resources to help with their children's remote learning.
South Aucklanders were earlier praised for turning out for public Covid-19 testing at Otara Mall testing station. Photo / Greg Bowker
Funaki also stressed that it was crucial for the Pacific community to keep listening to health advice and looking out for each other.
"We need to reassure our community that we've got this. This virus doesn't discriminate against who you are and where you are from."
"We need to reinforce these key messages to our people and we can't be complacent."
That included sticking to your bubble, practising social distancing, washing your hands, wearing a mask when you go outside.
