The government encouraged hundreds of thousands of people in South and West Auckland to get a Covid-19 test, whether or not they are showing symptoms, but the Prime Minister says this was an 'oversimplification'.
Photo: AFP
In a social media post, it said people who live in those areas, or who are at greater risk of poor health outcomes, should get themselves tested.
Photo: Screenshot
But at today's Covid-19 briefing, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said this was an oversimplification.
"That is not the ask coming from health officials currently ... from what I understand of that message that has gone out, the detail of the message is correct, some of the topline headings were oversimplified and it is wrong.
"We're working very hard now to deal with what's that created within the community and we're working very hard to correct that."
She said was "incredibly angry" that it wasn't clear and the government had to be "very direct in our asks".
"There's been an attempt to keep a message simple and it's just been done badly."
She said it had now been asked "how far and wide it's gone".
The social media post has now been removed.
We understand there was some concern over the request for those without symptoms in South and West Auckland to be tested for COVID-19. To avoid confusion, we’ve removed the post. pic.twitter.com/n1Z2XAfCZO
— Unite against COVID-19 (@covid19nz) August 30, 2020
There are a number of pop-up Covid-19 community testing centres throughout Auckland.
A Covid-19 community testing station in Ōtara. Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook
- If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP - don't show up at a medical centre
