Cawthron essential laboratory services at Level 2

With the shift into Alert Level 2 for most of the country from Wednesday 8 September, we want to update you on how we will be operating during this time. We continue to ensure strict, high standards of hygiene, physical distancing and contact tracing protocols are in place at Cawthron to keep our people and customers safe.

Below you will find further information on turnaround times, Sample Reception protocols and a reminder about courier delivery times.

Turnaround times

We are pleased to be able to offer our standard turnaround times for all our analyses. Freshwater micro-algae microscopy results will be IANZ accredited under Alert Level 2 and we are also able to offer urgent turnaround work, but please contact us first.

Sample Reception protocols

While Sample Reception is open during Alert Level 2, we are maintaining strict distancing with customers to protect you and our frontline teams. Please continue to drop off samples for testing in the outdoor sample box and ring the white bell. Note that you must wear a mask if visiting our premises, and please respect all signs and requests designed to keep us all safe.

Time sensitive samples

Couriers advise they are still experiencing ongoing delays with package delivery. Unfortunately, we are unable to follow up on the location of samples in the courier system on behalf of our customers as we are fully engaged in testing. Please be aware if you are sending samples which are time or temperature sensitive, they may not arrive in the required condition for testing if there are delivery delays. Please contact your courier provider to find out more about their capacity.
We’d like to acknowledge our Cawthron staff who have continued to provide our essential laboratory services during Alert Level 3 and 4.

We’d also like to wish our Auckland-based customers a speedy return to Alert Level 2.

He wake eke noa – we’re all in this together. Take care everyone.

Ngā mihi nui
Cawthron Institute