The Auckland City Mission – Te Tāpui Atawhai has been named as a COVID-19 location of interest, following a member of the public being at their city centre site.

The person was on site for the morning of Monday 4^th October.

The Mission is following all Ministry of Health advice to ensure the safety and well-being of all clients, staff and any other visitor. This includes regular surveillance testing of staff, which was in place prior to being named as a location of interest, and encouraging all standard COVID-19 protocols be practised by anyone on each of the Mission’s sites.

The person who tested positive receives services from the Mission’s city centre site.   As a result, the Mission team is contacting as many other people as possible who receive services at the site, to encourage uptake of testing and check on their health status.

Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) advises us that the risk is low for the majority of people at the Mission on this morning. The person with COVID-19 was outside in a tent for testing, and also queued in the open air for a meal pack.  The Mission protocols require everyone to stay two metres apart and wear a mask further lessening the exposure risk.

In addition, the Mission’s Calder Health Centre has been taking COVID-19 swabs since last year, with this being the only positive case to date.   It’s also a COVID-19 vaccination centre, including an outreach service, with more than 540 doses administered in the community since just prior to the current lockdown.

The Mission will continue supporting the person who tested positive and following ARPHS advice.  Our highest priority is ensuring the safety, health and well-being of all of those we support and our staff.

The Mission encourages all of those who receive services at our city centre to continue visiting and to be tested whilst on site.

For comment from the Mission, please contact Ellen Lear.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 027 700 1779