The Ministry of Health has confirmed that a patron with Covid-19 who spent New Year's Eve at a busy Auckland bar was vaccinated.
The Longroom bar in Ponsonby. Photo: Google Maps
The Longroom Nightclub on Ponsonby Road was named as a location of interest yesterday.
People who were at the bar on Ponsonby Road from 10pm on 31 December until 12.50am on New Year's morning have been asked to get tested and self-isolate for 10 days, with authorities labelling the event 'high risk'.
The Ministry of Health has confirmed the case was vaccinated, and was not the Omicron variant.
Longroom co-owner Richard Bagnall said the case's vaccine pass was presented on request, scanned and verified by door staff.
He said the case also used the NZ Covid Tracer app.
Longroom co-owner Andrew Roberts said that staff who were working on the night have been classified as casual-plus contacts of the case and therefore able to return to work after a negative day five test.
Roberts said authorities have provided little information about the positive case, including whether the person was vaccinated.
He told RNZ they had a "team" on the door, and all vaccine passports were checked.
A partygoer who is now isolating at home said the bar was scanning vaccine passes.
On the Longroom Facebook page, the establishment said they were now open after speaking with the Ministry of Health.
"We would like to reassure all our friends and fans that we have followed the Ministry of Health's advice, and have also taken extra precautions to ensure the health and safety of all our staff and customers," the post said.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health clarified what people who were at this location must do next.
"While we do not normally comment on the private health details of individuals, inaccurate reporting on Covid-19 cases has the potential to cause significant distress to individuals and businesses concerned.
"If you were present at this Location of Interest the advice is to self-isolate, test immediately and on day five after you were exposed. Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health. Some individuals were previously given incorrect dates regarding their isolation periods and they are being re-contacted to correct this.
"If you have further questions or are concerned please contact Healthline for free on 0800 358 5453."
* This story previously stated the person was unvaccinated. The error is regretted.
