Dr Lance O'Sullivan has again lashed out at Kaitaia's COVID-19 response, but Northland District Health Board (DHB) is pushing back.
In a Facebook video filmed outside the Kaitaia hospital, Dr O'Sullivan expressed his frustration that people potentially with the infectious COVID-19 illness would have to wait til Monday to be tested as a local community centre only operated on weekdays.
The 2014 New Zealander of the Year said he had come across an individual who he said was "almost certainly COVID positive". Dr O'Sullivan said the man had had a fever for six days, had developed a cough, previously had contact with a confirmed case and was "high-risk".
The man had been shopping and Dr O'Sullivan wanted to send him up to the community centre to get tested. But he said there was a problem.
"It's closed. Kaitaia, if you have COVID, you wait to Monday," he said.
The doctor then said he went to up to the hospital himself asking for swabs and received three out of only four he claimed the hospital had. Dr O'Sullivan said he was planning to use two on patients, meaning only two swabs remained in the area.
"Those people who are out there at the moment and you need to be tested for COVID, come in fast because there is two swabs in the all of Kaitaia," he said in his Facebook Live.
Newshub has previously heard from other doctors complaining of having few swabs. One GP said she only had one for an enrolled patient patient population of over 5000 people.
O'Sullivan said if he had been able to get the man tested and he had tested positive "we'd be able to say to him 'look, you gotta stay home, you can't do the shopping'," he said.
"I am not critical of him, I am critical of a system that is not testing enough...You have got a Government telling us that there are 5000 [tests] a day being done around the country. Well, it ain't up here."
According to the Ministry of Health's latest data, New Zealand has a test capacity of 6271, with 33,116 people having been tested to date. On Friday, 3631 people were tested, the highest daily number yet. On average, 2264 people have been tested per day over the last week.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said a drop in testing is to be expected over the weekend.
"We find that people are less likely to go out, even in normal circumstances, to seek care over the weekend. But also there may be reduced hours for the [community-based assessment centres]. But still, there is testing available anywhere and everywhere that it is required over the weekend," he said.
Following O'Sullivan's video, the Northland DHB posted online confirming the testing clinic running out of the whare at the front of the hospital ran Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm. However, in the post, which the DHB said was a "truthful message", the hospital's operational manager Neta Smith said there were other services operating.
"After-hours in Kaitaia we have GP services and hospital services running 24 hours 7 days per week. If someone is unwell and they need to be seen they will be seen and tested," Smith said in a video.
"Anyone with acute respiratory infection and at least one of the following symptoms: cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, head cold, loss of sense of smell, with or without fever will be tested for COVID-19."
She also pushed back on any suggestion that there was only four swabs at the hospital.
"We have adequate supplies and equipment to treat you and currently have 120 swabs available in Kaitaia Hospital," she said.
"We do not need two testing centres in Kaitaia but we may need to transition to another site in the community if Kaitaia hospital gets busy with COVID-19 cases.
"The best thing you can do is stay home and remember if you need GP or hospital services please do not hesitate to call us so we can see how best to help you."
There are no confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 at Kaitaia hospital. There are seven community testing stations throughout Northland.
Saturday's video is not the first Dr O'Sullivan has made recently. Earlier this week, he was critical of the number of Kaitaia residents out in town during the lockdown as well as police enforcement.
"I'm just going to do a shout now and say this is not what lockdown is about. There's far too many people on the road, far too many cars. You know this is not a lockdown, this is a joke," he said in a video.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern later responded by calling on O'Sullivan to contact police directly as they "might not have been watching his Facebook Live".
Former Police Commissioner Mike Bush later confirmed more police were being deployed to the area.
Kaikohe's New World
The Northland DHB is also advising anyone who shopped at the Kaikohe New World between March 20 and 30 to keep a close eye on their health.
"This is following the contact tracing conducted on the latest confirmed case of COVID-19," a statement from the DHB said.
The DHB's Medical Officer of Health Dr Catherine Jackson said it was a good reminder to stay at home if you're unwell.
"While I acknowledge our community will feel concerned, you only need to be tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19."
Supermarkets can continue to operate during the lockdown as they are designated as essential services.
"There are things you can do to keep yourself and your whānau safe when accessing essential services. Only go when you really need to, wash your hands when you get home and keep social distancing. If possible have just one person from your bubble run errands," Dr Jackson said.
