Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Aucklanders again queue early for testing stations around the city
Aucklanders were again up early and travelling to their nearest Covid testing station.
As the number of Covid-19 cases and locations of interest steadily rise, residents are continuing to do their bit and getting tested.
Forty-one new cases were announced today - bringing the country's total to 148.
Queues had waned in the North Shore - the initial centre of the outbreak - but those in the south and west are now forced to get tested as the Ministry of Health continues to release more hot spots.
The latest of the now 421 locations of interest - from August 14 - include Remuera's Upland Liquor, Pak'nSave Royal Oak, Wiri Timber, Crave Cafe, Bunnings Mt Roskill, Revive Vegan Cafe Auckland CBD, Countdown Mฤngere Mall and Mฤngere East as well as West Liquor Green Bay, Pizza Club Avondale, Caltex Blockhouse Bay and Buses 001 and 041.
At Balmoral, St Lukes and Mangere some people began turning up to the testing site as early as 5am.
Otara was also having a quiet day, with 600 people having been swabbed by 2pm.
"Today is a big change from the last few days," said Dr Andrew Chan-Mow, clinical director of South Seas Healthcare, who runs the testing site.
Since Wednesday they'd swabbed more than 5000 people but he was unsure why the big surge had dropped off today.
The first people arrived at 6am, but everyone had been kind to security staff.
There were only about 30 cars in line at 2pm.
Balmoral staff also said it was a quieter day.
#Update ลtara Community Testing Centre 24/08/21 ๐ฅ๏ธ ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ญ ๐ฝ๐บ, ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ก๐ข ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ. Please check back for updates....
Posted by South Seas Healthcare on Monday, August 23, 2021
Sally Mutt works for a catering company that delivers meals for MIQ guests.
She was now classified as a close contact of a positive case.
Mutt and Joe Locke lined up yesterday at the Balmoral testing station but were turned away when it started having connectivity issues preventing staff from accessing registration networks.
They said the line was much shorter today so they're hoping for a test.
They came prepared with food and water.
The flow of cars was more steady this morning at the Mฤngere pop-up community testing centre on Mascot Ave, compared with yesterday.
Around 80 cars were lined up just after 11am and four testing stations were open.
The first people arrived at 5am. Music was played and staff thanked people as they left, creating a relaxed environment.
Among those waiting is a De La Salle College student who is in the same year at the school as a positive case.
Abdiel Vea said his friends at school were scared.
The Catholic school for boys has thousands of pupils. His bubble had six other people in it. Vea said online learning was going well and he was keeping up with it.
Reminder Whฤnau โผ๏ธIf you are coming to the Vaccine Centre please follow the pink lines in the map below. DO NOT โ line up on Railside Ave or Dora Street. This is for the Covid Testing Station.
Posted by Te Whฤnau O Waipareira on Monday, August 23, 2021
Meanwhile, cars at the St Luke's testing centre were already snaking from St Luke's Rd down to New North Rd about 9.30am. It was understood the first cars arrived at 5am.
Paul Maglalang has been waiting since 7am.
He works at Lynn Mall - a location of interest - and received an email last night from his work to get a test.
A small line of walk-ins has also formed.
Sue attended one of the same running events as a positive case which was named a location of interest yesterday.
She said around 2000 people attended the event and that "worry is always in the back of your mind".
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Another walk-in, Lucia Steadman, is a fully vaccinated nurse who has cold and flu symptoms.
She said she's worried about infecting someone else.
At Avondale, the testing centre was having its quietest day yet, staff told the Herald.
The line of cars would normally be stretched down Elm St and Rosebank Rd but it had been moving quickly and was contained within the Avondale Racecourse grounds.