Glen Williamson said he felt good but "a little bit guilty" to be returning to the family’s Dunedin home yesterday with two of his three children after spending the past 25 days in managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) in Auckland. The family had been in MIQ since January 16.
His wife, Casey, will stay for at least 10 more days with their youngest daughter, Maya (5).
However, if either one of them gets infected with Covid-19, her stay could be extended by up to another 24 days, something Mr Williamson called a "horrible scenario".
The family’s stay was meant to be 10 days initially, but it was extended after Luca caught Covid-19.
Daughter Sam received a positive Covid test on Friday, January 28, which reset the clock again.
Had the whole family tested positive at the same time it would have been only a 14-day stay, he said.
Trying to get the children to leave MIQ yesterday morning was "pretty heart-breaking".
Both Sam and Luca were crying and they were afraid to leave, not knowing when they would see their mother again.
He praised the hard work of MIQ staff and said the family’s experience had been tough but their situation was not as bad as for others.
Mrs Williamson said the morning of separation had been "really difficult" and the hardest day of the MIQ experience for her so far.
She felt "flat" and frustrated about the situation her family was in.
