Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Parents left confused by testing messaging

A mother has spoken out after receiving mixed messages from health officials and Covid-19 testers. Photo / Michael Craig

A mum has been left frustrated and confused after receiving conflicting messages from the Ministry of Health and staff at an Auckland Covid-19 testing station.

Kirby Going was told her two-year-old son was a close contact on Monday, February 14, after an asymptomatic toddler at his Mt Eden daycare centre tested positive for the virus.

As she was 39 weeks pregnant, due to give birth via C-section, she, her husband and their son went to get tested on Tuesday, as per Ministry of Health advice.

While Going and her husband's results came back negative the following day, it was not until 11.26pm on Friday that she received a text saying her son's results were spoiled and he needed to get another test. The Herald has seen a screenshot photo of this text.

However, Going took her son back to the Saint Johns testing centre on Saturday and was told even though he was a close contact they should expect his results might not be processed as he was asymptomatic, she said.

"They said we should expect another text message in four days saying it's spoiled again because he doesn't fall into the essential category to get a test even though he is a close contact," Going said.

A large group of parents from Baradene College were told the same thing, she said.

"The testing centre said they were overrun and were only processing tests of those who were symptomatic or direct household contacts.

"I asked why swab and waste resource if the test isn't going to be processed and they couldn't give me an answer," Going said.

Staff at the testing station then told her to apply for a rapid antigen test (RAT) via the Ministry of Health website, so she did but it was declined.

The daycare centre initially told Going her son couldn't return until he received a negative test result. It later advised that as he was asymptomatic and both his parents had tested negative then he could return on Tuesday.

"As you can imagine this is highly concerning, based on the explanation today and the lag in my son's initial test, there will be thousands of asymptomatic cases in Auckland turned away this weekend and spreading Covid throughout the community as by having no test they are not needing to isolate."

She said the ministry needed to change its guidelines and hold itself accountable for being under-resourced at the height of the pandemic, despite having had two years to plan for this.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said as the testing sites were operated by DHBs it couldn't comment on specifics of the case.

"We understand the relevant DHB is making inquiries," it said.

It was its "intention" that the Ministry of Health and Healthline offers the most up-to-date and consistent testing and isolation information for contacts of cases or others associated with cases.

"Our advice is that we still want people feeling unwell or are a close contact to get a test and self-isolate until they receive the result," the ministry said.

"As we expected, Omicron cases continue to grow across New Zealand. We know and understand that there is increased demand at Covid-19 testing sites and that some Covid-19 test results are currently taking longer to process at laboratories, particularly across the Auckland region.

"We recognise the pressures on testing staff and laboratory workers. We want to reiterate our thanks to everyone involved in the testing process for their commitment to helping New Zealand's health response to Covid-19."

A spokesperson from the Early Childhood Council said they were reluctant to "comment on the situation at the Covid-19 testing centre".

But the statement said: "We're keen for RATs to be more widely available for early learning to help them manage Omicron and stay open, especially if PCR testing centres are becoming overrun."