National’s Health spokesperson Michael Woodhouse says the Government’s rapid reshuffling of leadership has failed to fix its shambolic management of quarantine at our border.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appointed Christchurch-based Minister Megan Woods responsibility for Managed Isolation and Quarantine.

Ms Woods said “we are determined to ensure that this critical line of defence against COVID-19 is robust and meets the expectations of New Zealanders; that every action we took as a collective five million to stamp out the virus, applies in these facilities.”

Today, Radio New Zealand reported that 12 busloads of people are going into quarantine at Stamford Plaza Hotel in central Auckland, where residents live.

“The apartments on top of the eight floor hotel are home to about 300 people, many of whom are older and at higher risk of severe complications or death if they catch the Covid-19 coronavirus.”

Michael Woodhouse says “Stamford Plaza residents were rightfully concerned to find out people were being quarantined at the hotel without their knowledge.”

“The mixing between people in quarantine facilities who have arrived at different times and from different parts of the world creates a grave risk that Covid-19 will spread and must stop.”

 Woodhouse says he’s been inundated with messages, both from those in managed isolation and guests and residents of the hotels, concerned that they and their close contacts are being put at risk by the failure to adhere to basic distancing measures.

“These hotels are meant to be a form of Level 4 lockdown while the rest of us are at Level 1. The ‘bubble’ strategy we all stringently followed during lockdown must be in place and followed.”

Michael Woodhouse says “it’s unbelievable to most New Zealanders that this situation can be allowed to occur. It puts all our efforts over lockdown in jeopardy.”

He says “the Government claimed it had patched up this dire situation. But no one has been held accountable. And nothing seems to have changed.”