Nurses say it's farcical and unsafe patients at Auckland City Hospital are being allowed multiple visitors in the middle of the outbreak.
The hospital allows each patient two visitors a day, despite all other hospitals in the region having much stricter policies.
Thursday was a busy day for visitors at Auckland hospital - even in the midst of an outbreak. Some wore masks, others walked around the grounds without.
All patients at the hospital, except the 15 with COVID-19, are allowed two visitors a day - providing they visit at different times.
But Kerri Nuku Kaiwhakahaere of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) says it is "absolutely farcical".
"There is no logic in this," she tells Newshub. "The concerns from our members are one of safety - safety for themselves, safety from our patients."
In contrast, at North Shore and Waitakere Hospitals, visitors are "not permitted" except on "strict compassionate grounds" - for example if someone is critically ill or dying.
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It's the same at Middlemore Hospital, where "no visiting is permitted except in essential and compassionate circumstances".
The Director-General of Health says there are national rules on hospital visitors.
"But then the way that is applied locally is up to the individual DHBs as long as they have absolute rigorous measures in place to reduce any risk," explains Dr Ashley Bloomfield.
It's clear some staff don't think Auckland Hospital's policy is rigorous.
An email from Auckland DHB's chief executive to staff obtained by Newshub states: "I know that some of you are questioning our visitor policy… The IMT [incident management team] are reviewing this regularly and the decision is still to allow one visitor at a time."
The DHB says visitors are screened - although the process didn't appear extensive when Newshub was filming.
"There is some sort of screening," says Nuku."Which could be just the simple question 'are you sick, have you had your COVID tests?'. There is no guarantee the information being provided is accurate.
One nurse wrote to the Director-General of Health, saying: "Visitors ... are mingling with other patients, staff and the person they're visiting. They do not always wear masks".
"The workforce is dangerously thin. The staff do not feel we are safe."
The nurse's letter also speaks of staff being shifted from hospitals to MIQ and then back to hospitals without any stand down period. She says staff feel "like disposable shopping bags, easily replaceable."
Dr Bloomfield acknowledges he received the letter and it was followed up with the Auckland DHB. The DHB says it is operating an appropriate COVID-19 visitor policy.
