January 25, 2021
Waitangi preparations continue despite COVID scare
The chair of the committee organising next week’s Waitangi commemorations says he’s hoping for the best while preparing for the worst.
Pita Tipene says work is continuing to despite the discovery of a case of COVID-19 in Northland.
Extra testing stations have been set up, and the tracer app has been used to contact people who have been to places where the affected women went before she realised she had picked up the coronavirus while in managed isolation and quarantine.
He’s buoyed by the messages coming from COVID Response Minister Chris Hipkins about the steps taken to contain the outbreak.
"We’ve been told for some time it is inevitable something like this would happen so it just gives everyone a fright and it's back to the tracer apps and everyone is a lot more conscientious all of a sudden which is great," he says.
Mr Tipene says everyone coming to the Bay of Islands for the commemoration will get the message to take all the necessary precautions and not to come north if they feel unwell.
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