Uppercrust Bakery in Mount Maunganui is a location of interest for Tuesday and last Saturday. Photo / George Novak
Uppercrust Bakery in Mount Maunganui is a location of interest for Tuesday and last Saturday. Photo / George Novak
Bay of Plenty health authorities are monitoring testing capacity after two locations of interest were named in the region following visits by an Auckland truck driver while likely infectious with Covid-19.
People who visited the locations - Uppercrust Bakery in Mount Maunganui and the BP Tauriko service station - during potential exposure windows are advised to get tested immediately.
Uppercrust Bakery was visited on Tuesday and last Saturday. BP Tauriko was also visited on Saturday – with those who went inside more at risk than those who just visited the outdoor forecourt.
• Been there? Scroll to the bottom for full exposure window details, what to do and where to get tested.Bay of Plenty District Health Board Covid-19 incident controller Trevor Richardson said it constantly monitored testing capacity and could pop up more community-based testing if needed.
However, he said there was enough testing capacity in the region at this stage.
The health board has said there are four community-based providers that would be open this weekend - two in Tauranga, one in Pāpāmoa, and one in Whakatāne.
The businesses were named locations of interest yesterday following news on Thursday a truck driver had tested positive for Covid-19 after crossing Auckland's alert level 4 border and travelling to Hamilton, Cambridge and Tauranga.
Bakery owner John-Paul van der Meys said the news was a "massive shock" and a "huge hit" for the business, which had to close as staff isolated.
"We haven't even recovered from the last lockdown and now we have to stay locked down again for another 14 days," he said.
Uppercrust Bakery in Mount Maunganui is a location of interest for Tuesday and last Saturday. Photo / George Novak
"We get no time to prepare to close, everything was ready to go for today and all my staff are close contacts so we can't even go in and do a deep clean until after our 14 days."
He said they were told at 4.15pm on Wednesday. All staff and households would get tested and self-isolated.
Two of his four staff were immunocompromised, so the team had all been particularly careful around following ministry guidelines, he said.
"We know how Delta is pretty effective at spreading so we've been keeping as safe as we can. I'm pretty sure me and my girls are safe, we'll do our bit and stay home and clean up the mess when we're allowed," he said.
"We have a great customer base so I'm looking forward to seeing them all when we're back open and trading. We're hoping for September 30."
A BP spokesman said the safety and well-being of customers and team members continued to be "our utmost priority, alongside maintaining safe, compliant and reliable operations".
He said the BP temporarily closed temporarily for deep cleaning and has since reopened.
He said the company was following ministry guidelines after being named a location of interest and asked customers to do the same. Impacted staff were isolating, testing and closely monitoring their symptoms.
Locations of interest in Waikato include Tuck Shop Cambridge; Ngatea Lotto and Foodmart; Maramarua General Store; GAS Paeroa and Z Hautapu Cambridge.
The truck driver and a family member who tested positive have been transferred to MIQ, officials said yesterday.
Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson said a person in the truck driver's household was symptomatic and got tested, and so did the truck driver. Both results came back positive.
Deputy prime minister Grant Robertson. Photo / NZME
Prior to that, they had been tested before. Locations of interest "fell in the middle of all that", Robertson said.
Foodstuffs has said the driver made deliveries to "a number of supermarkets" in Auckland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty.
Foodstuffs brands include Pak'nSave, Four Square and New World.
A spokeswoman said the driver wore protective gear and followed all Covid-19 protocols while making deliveries.
BP Connect Tauriko is a location of interest for last Saturday. Photo / George Novak
Director of public health Dr Caroline McElnay said the delivery areas were not listed as locations of interest because they are not open to the public. Staff had been notified.
A Ministry of Health spokesperson said people should keep an eye on the public list of locations of interest as these could change or be added to.
From yesterday, all workers crossing the boundary have to prove they have had a Covid-19 test in the previous seven days.
Need a test this weekend in the BOP? Here's where to go
• Accident & Healthcare: Second Avenue, Tauranga - open Saturday and Sunday 8am to 6pm. • Healthcare on Fifteenth: Fifteenth Avenue, Tauranga - Saturday 8am to 12pm. • Tara Road Medical Centre: 1 Tara Road, Pāpāmoa - Saturday 8am to 12pm. • Te Puna Ora o Mataatua Med Central Portacom: 52B King St, Whakatāne - Saturday 10am to 4pm.
Members of the public are also urged to record their visit on the ministry's website or to call Healthline on 0800 611 116 so contact tracers can get in touch.
Uppercrust Bakery Mount Maunganui Address: 504 Maunganui Rd Exposure windows: Saturday, September 11: 10.10am to 12.05pm and Tuesday, September 14: 9.55am to 11.50am If you were there: Self-isolate for 14 days after you were exposed at this location of interest. Test immediately, and 5 & 12 days after you were exposed. Record your visit online or call Healthline so contact tracers can get in touch.
BP Service Station Tauriko Address: 1 Taurikura Drive Exposure window: Saturday, September 11: 7.45am to 9.15am If you were there: If you visited the forecourt only: Stay at home, test immediately as well as 5 days after you were exposed. Stay at home until you receive a negative day 5 test result. Record your visit online or call Healthline so contact tracers can get in touch. If you visited the service station building: Self-isolate for 14 days after you were exposed. Test immediately, and 5 and 12 days after you were exposed. Record your visit online or call Healthline so contact tracers can get in touch.
Anyone at a location of interest during an exposure window should record their visit on the Ministry of Health website or call Healthline so contact tracers can get in touch.
