Two health professionals who completed managed isolation in Christchurch in late December say they are shocked by the hotel's lax infection prevention measures.

The couple – who have experience working in Covid-19 environments in the United Kingdom, including hospitals where the pandemic runs rampant – identified several failures they say could lead to an outbreak.

They said the personal protective equipment (PPE) used by MIQ staff was inadequate and guests at different stages of their stay were mingling in smoking and exercise areas.

A managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) spokesman said staff adhered to strict infection prevention control rules, including wearing appropriate PPE. Having returnees from different cohorts in the same building was not a risk if people followed the strict protocols in place to separate guests from other bubbles, he said.

Since January 18, new arrivals from all destinations except Australia, Antarctica and some Pacific Islands are tested on day one and must stay in their room until they receive a negative result – including smokers.

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Stuff agreed not to name the couple, who feared raising concerns could jeopardise their employment prospects.

The couple said they saw a bus driver, who was transporting airline personnel, load the passengers' luggage, then take off his mask before entering the bus.

“He then drove off with a bus full of airline personnel with his mask hanging. Airline personnel have just spent 14 hours with the arrivals and therefore are an infection risk,” one of the couple said.

They were unsure whether nurses changed their apron, gloves and mask between rooms while swabbing guests. MIQ did not clarify whether nurses changed PPE between rooms.

The couple said MIQ staff seemed to assume they did not have any positive Covid cases.

They felt nurses doing tests should wear a surgical mask and visor rather than a simple medical mask.

They were also concerned that people delivering food did not wear gloves and masks and that military personnel moving new arrivals’ luggage did not wear aprons.

“Arrivals could be positive on arrival and with a highly transmissible variant then their luggage would also be positive,” one said.

An MIQ spokesperson said all drivers were required to wear a medical face mask and sanitise their hands when they arrived and when they left, and after handling any luggage. Bus passengers were required to wear masks and physically distance.

Nurses testing returnees changed their gloves between each swab and could wear the same mask for a set amount of time, as internationally recognised clinical advice showed was appropriate, they said. They did not say how long that was.

Staff handling luggage were required to wear PPE, but that did not include gloves. They must sanitise their hands immediately after handling luggage, they said.

Hotel staff were not required to wear gloves for delivery of food trays, but must wear masks.

As of January 18, Air New Zealand crew returning from higher risk destinations were required to self-isolate in a hotel until they returned a negative Covid-19 test, the spokesperson said.

“We welcome feedback and take criticisms seriously, which is why we have procedures in place to enable returnees to send any complaints directly to MIQ. We encourage people to do this in the first instance.”