Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Whanganui businesses juggling staff shortages

Whanganui has more than 2000 active cases across the Whanganui DHB region. Photo / Bevan Conley

An increasing number of businesses across Whanganui are juggling staff shortages as workers self-isolate with Covid-19.

Case numbers are continuing to rise with more than 1400 active cases now in the region.

Whanganui Chamber of Commerce chief executive Helen Garner said it was obvious Covid was circulating throughout the community.

"Beyond retail and hospitality which have been deeply affected and widely reported on, and justifiably so, we are now starting to see interruptions in other sectors of our business community as workers isolate and supply chain issues set in."

Alarm Watch general manager Wade Coneybeer said before Omicron arrived, he contacted his Australian and South African counterparts to hear what advice they had and what worked for them.

Some preventive measures they had put in place included installing temperature reading cameras connected to the doors, air and surface purifiers used in MIQ facilities and regular onsite saliva tests through Inspire.

They have split their team into two bubbles, working on separate floors.

"We are also using C02 monitors that detect when the air in our call centre is becoming stale that turns on extraction fans to bring in fresh air, doing our best to emulate an outdoor environment."

Coneybeer said about 20 per cent of his team have had Omicron in the past two weeks.

"The whole process hasn't been easy on our team, but generally most of our staff understand that we are doing our best to not just protect our customers, but to protect them while on shift."

He welcomed the reduction in isolation from 10 days to seven days, and hoped that would be shortened again in the future as businesses were dealing with an incredible strain at the moment.

Axiam general manager Matthew Smith said some of the business' employees had been away due to Omicron in the past few weeks.

Axiam general manager Matthew Smith says a few staff have had Covid over past weeks. Photo / Bevan Conley

"We have seen some disruption with a few of our national and international suppliers, but we have been planning for this for quite a while, so we have been holding additional stock to get us through this period.

"We are in regular contact with our customers, and they have been very understanding around any delays as a lot of them are going through a similar experience."

Owner of Ambrosia Delicatessen/La Bolsa Negra Cafe and Cuban Belle Nevanah Turner said the past six weeks, besides the various lockdowns, have been the quietest in the two years Covid-19 had been on our shores.

"We have halved our profit this year versus the same time last year. People just aren't coming out. We have a lot of older customers and they don't seem to be coming out either. It is pretty grim."

She has had staff shortages at both cafes due to positive cases recently and had to close Cuban Belle for the week due to shortages.

"We are looking at keeping that closed basically, because if any other staff get it, I am going to be stuffed."

Turner said the whole experience has been very tough on all aspects of her health.

"You go home and worry and just wonder what is going to happen over the next few weeks.

"I don't know if there will be a normal anymore. People are changing their lifestyles. They can stay home and get everything they need online. I think people might stick to bubbles in the future."

All this combined with the minimum wage rise in the next few weeks, small businesses were certainly feeling the pressure, Turner said.

"I am in my 14th year here and I had a business before that for six and a half years. It is just nothing like it used to be."

Karen Bukholt from Team Bukholt at Bayleys Whanganui said they've had a few staff off in the past week and were working in bubbles to try to mitigate any large spread.

Bukholt and her husband Knud have gone an extra step to ensure their business isn't affected.

"My husband and I aren't even living at the same house at the moment. Because if one of us goes down with Covid, we both have to isolate. We can't let our vendors down by saying we can't market your property for seven days."

Garner has been impressed by the leadership shown by members when it comes to planning around Covid-19. She would like to see RATs provided to businesses for free.

Chief executive of Whanganui Chamber of Commerce Helen Garner. Photo / Bevan Conley

"We need to acknowledge though that the last two years have been difficult for a lot of businesses, and the challenges of this Covid time are compounded by additional pressures such as ongoing staff shortages and rising costs."

Overall the chamber's members were resilient, committed and doing their best to keep themselves, staff, and the community safe, Garner said.

"We are aware though that we are still in the early stages of Covid in our community and potentially have not yet realised the predicted full impact as far as business operations are concerned."

Whanganui District Council chief operating officer Lance Kennedy said the council hadn't been adversely affected by Omicron yet and had business continuity plans in place.

"We are closely monitoring the situation and as cases of Covid-19 continue to increase in the Whanganui District it is likely that council services and facilities may be affected at some point due to positive cases or staff having to isolate."

He said community facilities such as the council customer services area on Guyton St, the libraries, pools, venues, or the Sarjeant Gallery may have to close with little notice to the public.

"Our focus is on keeping the wider community and our staff as safe and well as possible during the coming weeks."