Gina Kerewaro was denied a test at the Hamilton testing station on Saturday, despite displaying Covid-19-like symptoms.

A registered nurse displaying Covid-19-like symptoms was denied a test at a Hamilton testing station because she had no known contact with the virus.

It left Gina Kerewaro wondering how the Ministry of Health can say there had been no community transmission if it wasn't testing widely.

But refusing her test was exactly the right thing to do, according to the director-general of health.

MARK TAYLOR/STUFF She is questioning how the Ministry of Health knows there hasn't been community transmission if they are not testing for it.

Kerewaro had been unwell and went to see her general practitioner, who prescribed her antibiotics and did not send her for Covid-19 testing.

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Yet she decided to go to the Hamilton testing station, which opened at Claudelands Events Centre on Saturday, as she wanted to rule out coronavirus after being in contact with family from Australia before the travel ban was in place.

After waiting two hours and ticking all the symptom boxes, she was told she did not meet the criteria for a test as she had not been in contact with a confirmed case.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield confirmed that for people to be tested they had to have been in close contact with a probable, confirmed or suspected case or have a history of overseas travel.

"We should not be and we can't be testing everyone with symptoms," he said in response to a question about Kerewaro's concerns.

"That is the reasonable thing to do."

He said more than 1200 tests were done on Saturday.

"It's important we test the right people."

While Kerewaro had no known contact with anyone with the virus or who had come in contact with the virus, she did attend a family gathering before border restrictions were put in place with family from Australia.

"This completely contradicts the message ... and is a big concern that we have no idea how far Covid-19 has transmitted throughout our community."

A doctor was called over to speak to her at the testing station and told her they were following the testing policy they were following and it could change come Monday.

"We have no idea how far this is spread into the community because they are refusing to test people unless you have travelled or meet someone with the virus."

The incident was upsetting, she said.

"I came home and bawled my eyes out. I felt invalidated.

"Hopefully I don't have it and the antibiotics do work."

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