Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Call for stuck-at-home workers to help under-pressure Covid Healthline and testing centres

Applicants for Covid Healthine work needed their own laptop and headset but would be fully trained. Photo / Getty Images

Skilled communicators stuck at home under level 4 are being urged to join New Zealand's Covid response, which is crying out for advice line and testing centre staff.

Urgent calls went out via email, social media and job sites for call centre roles to book appointments and give support and advice based on Ministry of Health guidelines.

Additional workers were also needed for new pop-up testing centres throughout Auckland as the number of cases of the Delta variant continues to rise.

This week an e-newsletter from Retail NZ said Covid Healthline needed staff immediately.

Full training would be given but candidates needed their own laptop and headset.

The message said filling the positions was "a matter of urgency".

The snap decision to move to Covid alert level 4 on Tuesday night saw calls to the Covid Healthline mushroom.

This week callers to Covid Healthline faced long waits and at peak times were directed to call back.

More calls to Covid Healthline are expected with the news of three Covid-19 positive cases in Wellington - taking the total number of cases in New Zealand to 31.

Whakarongorau Aotearoa is contracted to supply staff to the 30 Government-funded free telehealth services including Healthline, Covid Healthline, Mental Health after hours, Depression Helpline, 1737 - Need to Talk and Shine.

CEO Andrew Slater said the organisation was looking for people confident using online systems and talking with service users over the phone.

"We have a pool of 2000 people who have been through our training and recruitment process and are ready to go in an event of lockdown," he said.

"What we are doing now is replenishing that pool so we are looking for around 500 people."

Slater said a change in alert levels meant different people were available.

There were different levels of roles available from people who provided basic advice and information to more experienced nurses and paramedics giving clinical advice.

When construction is closed Slater said there was a team of builders who always put their hand up to be involved.

"There are people who just want to do their bit to support New Zealand at a time like this."

"We have a team of builders who get in touch every time construction is closed and they don a call centre uniform rather than a builder's belt."

Skills required included typing skills, experience in customer service, strong communication and the ability to "manage calls with empathy, kindness, and professionalism".

The Ministry of Health also put out calls to recruiters to find staff for pop-up Covid testing stations around Auckland.

More than 22,000 swabs were taken at testing stations throughout Auckland yesterday but visitors faced long waits - some of up to eight hours.

Emergent Recruitment placed job ads on Seek.co.nz looking for "high volumes of administrators" to work throughout Auckland starting "ASAP".

"You don't need any prior experience at all, however you need a good attitude, be able to work under pressure, and be able to talk to a range of people," the job advertisement read.

"These roles are initially for 2-4 weeks, however, we are open to hearing from people who are free for longer and shorter periods. Weekend work also available."

Workers would be supplied with PPE protection and stringent practices would ensure staff kept safe.

For information on pop-up testing station roles call: (09) 975 3699
or email: Emergent@Emergent.co.nz
For information on Covid Healthline roles click here: