By Kaikōura Health Services Manager Angela Blunt

The Health Facility is still open and operating – we are just asking that instead of coming in, you phone first so we can make a telephone appointment for you.  If you do need to be seen you will still be seen.  Urgent care is still available.

Information about notifications of Positives cases

• Positive cases are confirmed by the Ministry of Health every day – you can check on health.govt.nz
• The Ministry of Health releases basic information about positive “cases” such as their age range, gender and the location they are based in. People are entitled to privacy about their health. However you may be contacted about a positive case during ‘contact tracing’
• If a test result comes back positive the Ministry of Health and district health boards track down people who may have been exposed to the virus through a process called contact tracing and provide health advice
• If our public health teams believe there may be some potential contacts they haven’t been able to reach, the information about the locations the person who tested positive may have been will be released 
• If you think you might be a close or casual contact, it doesn’t mean you have COVID-19. You will be contacted by public health staff or you can call Healthline on 0800 358 5453. They will give you advice on what you need to do
• Please remember as we all go through these exceptional circumstances – stay at home, wash your hands, and be kind to each other

Visitors to our rest home and inpatient services

There are NO visitors allowed during this lockdown period.  We will maintain contact with the families of our residents and inpatients. We understand how difficult it is for them not to be able to visit.  Arrangements are being made to enable virtual visits either by phone or videolink.

Flu clinics

The flu vaccine will soon be available for our most at risk to make sure that they get the best protection possible, as early as possible.   We will be contacting our priority groups to arrange for their vaccination early next week. Please DO NOT call us at this time we will be calling you in order of the priority groups set by the Ministry of Health.   The flu vaccine does not protect you against COVID-19 but making sure people most at risk of needing hospital care with the flu will help to manage the demand on our hospitals this winter. Keep your eye on the newspaper, our website and our Facebook page and the Kaikoura District Councils pages for information and dates for flu clinics.

Message from our Mental Health and Wellbeing team

• Remember at this time that it is important to maintain a regular routine as much as possible, take exercise, interact with others on the phone, via Skype, spend at least 2 hours a day in natural light.  
• Don’t forget to change the script, reframe your perception if you are feeling negative about the situation and look for positives and see this as an opportunity to spend more time together as a family, to get things done around the house or whatever makes you feel good.
• Maintain a good sleep routine, normal bedtimes and avoid that blue light from those screens for at least an hour prior to going to bed. 

Look after yourselves, your families and keep an eye on your neighbours.  Kia kaha