17 July 2020
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Managed isolation in Rotorua
Enquiry
We have just received this email in the last hour, pasted below.
Is it possible to please get some comment from the mayor this afternoon by 3.30pm, or another delegated council spokesperson?
My questions are:
Based on the council's advice so far, can Rotorua residents expect to see more hotels becoming managed isolation facilities in Rotorua in the coming weeks/months?
How long is Rotorua expected to be offering managed isolation?
Is the council pleased with how the facilities have been run in Rotorua so far?
Anything else you would like to add is welcome.
COVID-19 Managed Isolation and Quarantine media advisory:
17 July 2020
New Managed Isolation Facility to open in Rotorua
The Rydges Hotel in Rotorua will be used as a new Managed Isolation Facility from 20th July.
This will increase our national capacity for Managed Isolation, allowing more New Zealanders to return home.
The new facility will join two other Rotorua facilities, the Sudima & Ibis Hotels.
Government worked with iwi, council and the hotel to coordinate the opening of the facility.
Staff have been trained on proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and will follow stringent Health and Safety measures to keep our community safe, along with other security measures including fencing, and on-site police and security staff.
Response
The reporter was advised to refer her first two questions to the All of Government Covid-19 response communications team due to this operation being coordinated from a national level.
Rotorua Mayor, Steve Chadwick, provided the following comment:
We've been assured by both Minister Woods, and by key Defence Force personnel managing the operation at a local level, that the managed isolation facilities in Rotorua are being operated in a way that protects the health and wellbeing of our community, of the hotel staff working in these facilities, and of those New Zealanders currently going through the isolation process.
The team managing this process locally has been working hard to keep council and key stakeholders informed of developments in Rotorua which provides further reassurance and we're keeping in regular contact with this operational team.
To date, we haven't been made aware of any issues arising within the facilities in Rotorua, nor has there been any reoccurrence of community transmission nationally, which gives me confidence that all measures are being taken to protect our communities and those working as part of this process.
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Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Weather-related callouts
Enquiry
Just checking in to see if there were any flooding/weather-related issues the council needed to see to yesterday and overnight?
Response
Reporter was informed there were no weather-related callouts received by RLC customer centre.