15 August 2020

Media: NZME (Rotorua Daily Post and BOP Times)

Topic: Rotorua link to new confirmed case of COVID-19

Enquiry

Reporter sought comment from Mayor Chadwick regarding Toi Te Ora release (see above) re person who has tested positive for COVID-19 on their arrival in Japan had recently visited Rotorua and Taupō before their departure.

Response

From Mayor Steve Chadwick:

While this is obviously unsettling for us all, we need calm and common sense.

People who visited these places in Rotorua and Taupo on the days and at the times specified need to follow the advice of the health authorities - if you develop any symptoms self-isolate and arrange to get tested.

And we all need to play our part by following the guidelines to keep ourselves and others safe.

Practice social distancing, wash your hands, if symptomatic contact your GP or the national healthline, keep a record of where you go - and look out for one another.

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Media: Rotorua Daily Post

Topic: Impact of current COVID restrictions on events

Enquiry

Reporter sought information about event cancellations related to extension of Alert Level 2.

Response

The following information was provided:

Council has not had a rush of cancellations of events in our public venues but there have been a couple of postponements this weekend - Hitched (wedding show) and Te Wero (fashion show) which are linked (same organiser) and a product exhibition (this was for clients of a company so not a public event).

This Sunday's Farmer's Market has been cancelled and the Kuirau Park Saturday Market run by the Rotary Rotorua North club is cancelled (Zoe, according to the Kuirau Park market Facebook page they won't be holding another market until we return to Level 1).

Council staff have been in contact with event organisers and will stay in touch to work through options.

We are able to draw on knowledge from last time we were in this position and apply those practices to ensure some events can still go ahead.