Mike Houlahan

Health authorities have abandoned hope of stamping out Covid-19 in southern communities, and are awaiting test results from attendees of several student parties to assess how extensive the spread of the disease is in Dunedin.

Businesses need the return of the wage subsidy and rent support if they are going to survive the wave of Covid-19 cases swamping the Queenstown Lakes district, Mayor Jim Boult says.

Nurses and aged residential care facility operators have echoed the concerns of Southern DHB chief executive Chris Fleming about the dire shortage of workers to care for the region’s elderly.

Southern GPs are anxiously awaiting the arrival of rapid antigen Covid-19 tests at their clinics and medical centres, supplies which the WellSouth primary health organisation says are being kept in reserve until when they are needed.