Hastings man stranded in US as isolation facilities fully booked

Monika Russell feels "helpless" as her husband Adrian is currently unable to return to the country from essential work in the US. Photo / Supplied

The wife of a Hastings man who went to the United States to help for essential work now fears he may not be back in time for Christmas.

When engineer Adrian Russell went to the States for essential engineering work in dairy factories with his company, he and his wife Monika were guaranteed he'd be home in time for the festive season, but like three others from Hastings, that now looks unlikely as Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) facilities are fully booked.

Adrian left in August with a three-month temporary work visa which expires at the end of the month and has been working in various places around the country.

His wife said flights had been booked for November 24 before visas run out but as MIQ facilities are all booked he is unable to return.

Monika said the company he works for has been "great" and is working hard to get them home, but feels "helpless."

"We have no idea what to do... we never thought it was going to happen," Monika said.

"My husband never complains, he is a very hard worker but he told me he is very tired and just wants to be able to come home."

She's missed him for three months and while the employer has taken high safety measures, has been concerned for his health with the Covid-19 situation in the US

She hoped that the three people will be able to be prioritised to come home and thinks with high demand more MIQ facilities should be made available.

"They are not there for [a] holiday. They don't just want to come to New Zealand to visit family for Christmas time, they are living in New Zealand they are citizens and they went over to help out over there."

The Ministry of Business, Employment and Innovation (MBIE) which runs MIQ facilities on Monday November 2 said its new allocation system was "becoming fully booked" in the lead-up to Christmas.

Am MIQ spokesperson told Hawke's Bay Today there were 32 facilities, but "very little availability" for the rest of the year.

"A key constraint on adding new facilities is the essential workforce who care for returnees. We need nurses, Defence personnel and police to run these facilities, and this a limited workforce. In addition to workforce supply issues, a minority of hotels meet our requirements. There are a limited number of suitable facilities that are in locations where there is also a suitable hospital facility."

The spokesperson said new hotels can't be quickly set up for isolation use - "32 facilities really is our upper limit."