TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 Let’s go surfing NOW! And they did in droves as superb waves attracted surfers to the ocean this morning. This shot was taken by Herald photographer Liam Clayton at Makorori. It was indicative of all along that stretch of coast, with bands of surfers — many no doubt frustrated by having to stay out of the water during Alert Level 4 — enjoying the ideal conditions. Level 3 guidelines allow for surfing by experienced surfers at their local break. However, they must adhere to social distancing in and out of the water. DHB braces for surge by Aaron van Delden but no current cases. More than half of those tested for DEMAND for health services is $20m to ‘shore up’ cash position Covid-19 in Tairawhiti were Maori, Mr expected to increase as Tairawhiti Green said. emerges from the Covid-19 lockdown, by Wynsley Wrigley funding than they applied for. This would be the last week for mobile district health board chief executive Jim Mr Green said the equity would see the board clinics but people with respiratory Green says. HAUORA Tairawhiti has received $20 million in well into the 2021 year. symptoms were urged to continue seeking “We do believe there will be a surge in equity funding from the Government to maintain He reiterated the $20m was equity, not funding health advice. Only those with respiratory demand from this week as we come out of the board’s financial liquidity. and replenished the board’s cash holdings. symptoms would be tested for Covid-19 at Alert Level 4 and more Chief executive Jim Green told the It would allow the board to pay creditors. community-based assessment centres. people feel confident Hauora Tairawhiti board, meeting by Zoom It would not change any operating budgets. The scaling back of testing reflected the about coming back into videoconferencing yesterday, that the $20m was a Board chairwoman Kim Ngarimu said the $20m fact there was no evidence of community the health system,” Mr surprise, as $14m had been applied for. “could not just be spend”. It shored up the board’s transmission of Covid-19 in either Green told a Hauora All 20 health boards received more equity cash position so it could meet commitments. Tairawhiti or New Zealand. Tairawhiti board Mr Green said outpatient services meeting yesterday. would resume in various ways under Alert Gisborne Hospital, that some patients’ conditions would have anyone who wanted to be tested for Level 3, as would immediate responses to which has 108 beds, deteriorated over the past four weeks. the virus, on top of the region’s three GP referrals for specialist treatment. was just 25 percent full The DHB is advising people to keep in community-based assessment centres. Phone or video consultations would be over the weekend. contact with their GPs, who can update “We have deliberately gone out to our available, as they had been during the But from yesterday, in line with the the DHB on the urgency of their patients’ community to find the virus and have not lockdown. lessening of restrictions under Alert Level planned care. found it whatsoever,” Mr Green said. People who required face-to-face 3, hospital services would be widened, Mr With lower testing rates than most About 1800 people in the region had appointments would need to follow social Green said. DHBs, Hauora Tairawhiti was asked by been swabbed for Covid-19, or about 3.6 distancing protocols at the hospital. Waiting lists were reviewed several the Ministry of Health to ramp up its percent of the area’s population. Under the lockdown, non-deferrable weeks ago to ensure patients who needed testing for Covid-19 during the lockdown. Just three of those people had tested cancer treatment continued to take place, hospital care during the lockdown received Mobile clinics were introduced positive for the virus. but joint replacements were on hold until it, he said .However, it was anticipated throughout the district last week for The district had a fourth “probable” case Alert Level 2, Mr Green said. GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ..............9 Television ...........16 Farming............. 20 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............10 Classifieds .........17 Sport ............ 21-24 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National ....... 6-8,19 World............ 13-15 Puzzles......... 18,19 Weather .............23 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Wednesday, April 29, 2020 Section of Rutene Rd to close for a week RUTENE Road between Harris Street and Hirini Street will be closed for seven days from Monday (May 4) while contractors install a new stormwater pipe and service lid. The Gisborne District Council 4 Waters team said detours would be in place during the works. “Access to properties won’t be affected and traffic management personnel will be onsite to assist road users during this period,” a council spokesman said. The works are part of the council’s $2.6m stormwater upgrade to instal a new pipe PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE: Cars queue up for the McDonald’s drive-through on day one of Alert Level 3 yesterday. The line, at one stage of along Rutene Road to reduce the day, went as far back as the Gladstone Road traffic lights and there was a two-hour wait for some. Other takeaway outlets had surges of flooding and wastewater customers yesterday while KFC, according to its national website, is scheduled to reopen tomorrow at 10am. There is no traffic management discharges into rivers during plan in place as, unlike McDonald’s, the Gisborne KFC store is not located near emergency services bases. Picture by Paul Rickard weather events. Need for a fast food feed by Sophie Rishworth ProTraffic arrived. He thanked the customers as well. WHEN Gemma Reedy arrived for Wairoa to Gisborne for McD’s a no-no “Everyone is so happy and thankful. work yesterday morning, day one of Alert ANYONE travelling from Wairoa to Gisborne opened its drive-through on day one of Alert People here are awesome. I’ve been Level 3, she found it hard to believe her to buy a burger at McDonald’s is breaking Alert Level 3 yesterday. blown away by the support.” assignment. Level 3 regulations and faces prosecution, police Police were to have discussions today with There were 400 cars through from 5am “You actually need us for a drive- are warning. contractors to see if there could be different to 3pm yesterday — an average of 40 through?” Ms Reedy asked ProTraffic “Travel from Wairoa to Gisborne for that ways to control traffic going to the McDonald’s orders an hour. managers. purpose is a clear breach and anyone doing drive-through. Troy Ihe and son TK, 6, had been in Ms Reedy, Gerry Kora and Jean so faces the prospect of prosecution” a police “We don’t want it to affect other road users.” line for an hour and were not even on to Burkhardt usually work in forestry spokesman said. Meanwhile, police checked up on food outlets Bright Street when The Herald spoke to and road maintenance but yesterday “You can only travel within your region under yesterday to ensure they were complying with them. TK said he was looking forward to they were part of traffic management Level 3 and Wairoa is not considered part of this the Level 3 requirements of social distancing chicken nuggets. for McDonald’s during the fast food region.” and contactless payments. Oaklea Bowden and Gabby Wainohu restaurant’s first day of reopening since Carloads from as far as Wairoa, Nuhaka, “We encountered no issues in those areas. came from, “literally two minutes down the lockdown. Matawai and up the Coast were among those The retailers we visited were doing a really good the road”. They were buying for 12 “We are here making sure people who queued up when Gisborne’s McDonald’s job.” people and had already waited an hour are getting a kai and people have been when spoken to. lovely,” said Ms Reedy, who is commuting Dawn Banks travelled from Matawai from Ruatoria for the working week. that backed up Palmerston Road into It was good to be back open for his 84 to get a treat for the kids, who had They were the second shift Peel Street, past Treble Court and at one staff, he said. “I don’t even know all their surprised her by doing so well with their subcontracted by traffic management stage even through the city centre traffic names yet.” home-schooling. company ProTraffic for the 24-hour lights and into Gladstone Road. Mr Goel was grateful to them all and Civil Defence said it would review McDonald’s drive-through that re-opened Gisborne McDonald’s owner PJ Goel everyone in Gisborne for the support. daily how long traffic management would at 5am yesterday. said the average order per car was three Gisborne police called him last week need to continue. Queue-jumpers coming from the times the normal amount. about his opening plans. Civil Defence fire station side of the Palmerston He is running the restaurant with staff came on board and a traffic management ■ ST John Ambulance was called to Road-Bright Street roundabout were capacity at 50 percent to ensure social plan was put in place and paid for by CD. McDonald’s late yesterday morning after a nose- something to watch out for. distancing inside for his crew members. “When I arrived at 4.30 this morning to-tail collision between two vehicles in the line- There were carloads who travelled Mr Goel came from Auckland with there were already 30 cars lined up,”said up for service in the takeaway drive-through.