GRAPHIC/TIMES-AGE
Casual contacts to monitor symptoms
GRACE PRIOR
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Four covid-19 locations of interest have emerged in Wairarapa since Tuesday evening, causing a Masterton cafe to shut up shop temporarily.
Three of the locations of interest were in Carterton: New World, Owl’s Attic, and the Carrington Park toilets.
The fourth location was in Masterton at the popular eatery Trocadero Coffee Bar.
Patrons dining at the cafe between certain times on Sunday were considered close contacts of a covid-19 case.
The Ministry of Health [MOH] said anyone dining at Trocadero between 11.17am and 12.30pm on Sunday must self-isolate.
MOH said these patrons should get a covid-19 test immediately.
It said Public Health would provide further isolation and testing requirements.
Trocadero co-owner Bridie Manson said the cafe would remain closed while staff self-isolated.
She said weekends were the busiest trading time, with most of her staff working at the time of exposure.
“The health and well-being of our staff, their whanau, and our lovely customers is our top priority.”
Manson said Trocadero had appropriate public health measures and cleaning procedures in place.
She said there had been great support from customers wanting to do whatever they could to support the business.
MOH advised people who visited New World Carterton on Saturday between 2.15 and 2.30pm to self-monitor for covid-19 symptoms for 10 days from the date of potential exposure.
“If symptoms develop, get a test and stay at home until you get a negative test result.”
It said the same approach should be taken for people at the Carrington Park public toilets on Saturday between 2.30 to 2.35pm, or at Owl’s Attic in Carterton on Sunday between 12.43 and 12.53pm.
New World Carterton said in a Facebook post that its team had been working with increased protocols since August last year, and these protocols remained in place.
It said the store was cleaned multiple times throughout the day, and it had implemented increased sanitisation procedures, physical distancing, and mandatory mask wearing for customers and staff.
It said these procedures were designed to keep its team and customers safe.
“It’s been a challenging time for everyone; we ask you to please bear with the team as they work to meet your needs. Be kind and mask-up.”
Parent company Foodstuffs said the covid-19 contact had not impacted staffing or opening hours.
MOH urged the public to remain vigilant with scanning, wearing masks, and ensuring they were fully vaccinated, including people who had become eligible for a booster dose.
“With omicron cases continuing to be detected at our border, vaccination remains our key defence against all variants of covid-19, including omicron.”
MOH said 40 per cent of the eligible population had now received their booster shot.
It said boosters were strongly recommended for anyone more than 18 years old who had their second vaccination at least four months ago.
MOH said 93 per cent of Wairarapa’s population was fully vaccinated, and 95 per cent had had at least one dose of a vaccine.
It said there had been 196 omicron covid-19 cases detected at the border since December 1 and 11 cases of the delta variant.
An additional 217 covid-19 cases were still in the process of whole-genome sequencing to determine the variant.
Wairarapa had not had any locations of interest since November, when a confirmed case from Taupo visited a petrol station in Greytown and several shops in Masterton.
There were no active covid-19 cases isolating in Wairarapa.
