Experts say they're "concerned" about the appropriateness of personal protective equipment (PPE) at managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities after a worker at a Christchurch MIQ tested positive for COVID-19.
The person is a part of the health team working at the Sudima Christchurch Airport, where the international mariners are quarantined, and their case was confirmed on Monday evening.
They were tested as part of routine staff testing at the facility and returned a negative test on Thursday. However, on Saturday they developed symptoms and took another test on Sunday, which came back positive the following day.
They're now in isolation.
University of Otago senior lecturer in public health Lesley Gray said now is the time to identify where likely transmissions occur in order to strengthen New Zealand's COVID-19 prevention and management efforts.
"What is concerning is that the workers at the MIQ facilities are wearing PPE at work," she said.
"So it is important that we find out what could be improved as this is as important for people working in MIQ and their families as it is for the residents of MIQ, and it has parallels with any cases of nursing and care staff also wearing PPE at work."
The infected worker reported to the Ministry of Health that they isolated themselves "as soon as they developed symptoms", which Gray said was encouraging.
"It is reassuring that the staff working in MIQ are being so diligent and this case was identified early despite a prior negative test, and has been isolating since."
University of Otago senior lecturer in the Department of Psychological Medicine Dr Christopher Gale said healthcare organisations "have a duty to ensure there is appropriate" PPE for staff.
"Among healthcare workers, there has also been a sense of exhaustion, guilt, and feelings of powerlessness. These can be amplified among healthcare workers during acute outbreaks," he said.
He believes having a work culture that provides appropriate equipment, doesn't overwork staff and has a supportive approach to the virus and the psychological impacts of the infection can minimise the mental health consequences for doctors.
"Healthcare workers will get sick with COVID-19 as long as COVID-19 has virulence. We need to ensure that appropriate protocols and support systems are robustly in place," Dr Gale said.
On Tuesday, five new cases of COVID-19 were announced - four in managed isolation and quarantine facilities and one in the community. This community case is the previously reported Christchurch health worker.
It brings the number of current active cases to 75 and the total of confirmed and probable cases to 1968. Of these active cases, 73 are in MIQ facilities and two are in the community.
