Te Awamutu Space Centre owner Dave Owen (aka Space Dave) has returned to work after a negative Covid-19 test to catch up on jobs before re-opening this weekend.
Te Awamutu Space Centre owner Dave Owen (aka Space Dave) has returned to work after a negative Covid-19 test to catch up on jobs before re-opening this weekend.
A Te Awamutu family's close encounter with the Northland woman who tested positive for the more virulent South African Covid-19 strain is a stark reminder for everyone to stay on guard.
Dave Owen, his wife Ange Holt and children Jess and Floyd visited the Kauri Museum in Northland at the same time as the infected woman.
Dave (aka Space Dave) owns Te Awamutu Space Centre in Kihikihi, and although summer is busy for the attraction, the family also wanted some time together and took a week to travel north.
The contact with Covid was on the first day, Monday, January 18.
"There weren't many people in the museum that day," says Dave.
Space Dave at his 'mission control' from where he can control all of his simulations and presentations related to space travel and astronomy.
"Ange was talking to some of them so there is a good chance she spoke to the woman, not that we know who she is."
The family continued their holiday and returned home on Saturday, opening the Space Centre on Sunday.
Later that day the community case was announced and Dave kept an eye on the ministry website and, using the log of his Covid tracking app, saw they had been in contact with the woman.
He contacted everyone who had been at the Space Centre on Sunday and the family went into self isolation.
On Monday the family was tested, and on Tuesday afternoon negative test results were confirmed.
Dave has returned to work, but only to prepare for reopening on Saturday.
He feels it is better to err on the side of caution, plus he has some other jobs he can work on - including Zoom workshops he started with overseas schools during lockdown.
Dave says it was scary to realise how quickly things can change, especially when there had been no community cases for so long.
But he used the Covid tracking app religiously and says it proved a fantastic tool, and gave the family peace of mind when they were caught up in the possible outbreak.
It also meant he had the correct information about the case - unlike the rumours, which included that the Northland woman had travelled to Te Awamutu and not reported the fact, and that there was a positive Covid case in Te Awamutu.
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Te Awamutu Space Centre owner Dave Owen with the spaceship that has been donated to help promote the facility.
Dave says it shows why people must scan where they have been and follow the proper advice.
For Jess and Floyd the biggest disappointment was missing the Kainga Aroha camp, Jess as a leader and Floyd his last as a camper.
