Katikati's small community have come out in large numbers to get tested on Sunday morning after a positive case for Covid-19 was found.
The Ministry of Health confirmed the Bay of Plenty case on Saturday evening and established multiple pop-up testing sites for the following day to help those in the town get tested.
One of the first locals to have a swab taken on Sunday morning, Jaxon Bonnici, told 1News he opted to get tested as he had "a bit of a scratchy throat".
"I saw the news so yeah, figured I'd get in early so I could go home and relax," he said.
"Watching the news, it seems to be spreading pretty quickly so I was kind of expecting it [to spread]."
Others in the early morning queue were there for precautionary measures such as Kartia Hikuroa who works with elderly in Tauranga.
"We have to keep ourselves safe and make sure I don't take it back to my workmates and the elderly," she said.
Hikuroa said she felt "fluey" but felt it was just her regular hayfever.
"I'm just being precautionary."
Another in the queue, Paul Cronin, said he was getting tested even though he'd had both his vaccination shots as he had a headache and sore throat.
"It's what we have to do to keep everyone safe," he said.
Cronin added he felt sorry for those effected by the restrictions Covid-19 caused such as the hospitality sector but offered some perspective.
"It'd be tougher if we were burying 4000 or 5000 people," he said.
"That's a whole town - there's 5000 people in Kerikeri so that's the equivalent of a whole town."
Since Saturday's confirmed case, The Ministry of Health has listed multiple locations of interest in Katikati, all of which have been on the town's Main Rd.
The infected person was tested in Auckland, but were in the Bay when the result arrived.
The following Covid-testing stations will be open in Katikati and Tauranga on Sunday, the ministry said:
-Katikati Medical Centre, 4 Clive Road, 8.30am - 4.30pm
-Katikati Rugby and Sports Clubrooms, Fairview Rd, Katikati 8.30am - 4.30pm (hours will be extended if there is high-demand)
-Tauranga Accident and HealthCare, 19 Second Avenue, 8.00am - 6.00pm
SHARE ME