A Covid-positive mother of three, following health advice and isolating at home with her bedridden partner, couldn’t get tests for her symptomatic children despite days of calls with health officials.
Lorraine told Q+A that initially they had great communication - with the officials ringing at least four times a day, and groceries being delivered to their door.
But when the kids developed symptoms, getting them tested became impossible. Multiple phone calls and promises that a testing van would be sent to the house were made, but no one ever came.
Frustrated, she loaded the children into her car, and drove them to the nearest testing station. After explaining her situation she was told to take the kids home, and someone would follow shortly to test them, but still no one arrived at the house to test the children.
From reporting the symptoms on Thursday, to finally having the children swabbed, took days.
“There’s no words to describe it, it's unbelievable,” said Lorraine.
At the same time her partner, so sick he was unable to get out of bed, needed a letter from officials outlining the requirement he isolate at home sent to his employer. A letter arrived, but instead it said he was able to return to his usual activities and cleared him for work.
Health Minister Andrew Little acknowledged it was a “disappointing” response, saying that the public health system in Auckland is under huge pressure.
The Delta outbreak has seen 3200 catch Covid 19, and officials are handling around 1700 active cases, with roughly 600 people isolating at home.
Little told Jack Tame: “We expected to be in this position probably in six weeks to two months time from now. Everything has had to brought forward because of the nature of this outbreak.
"So its disappointing to hear some systems are not yet up and running as they could but I am confident that won’t be a common experience.”
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