Tairāwhiti (and new Zealand) is now in COVID Alert 2 and Auckland is in Alert level 3 for seven days. This came into effect at 6am on Sunday 28 February. This is in response to recent cases in the Auckland community.
If you have cold or flu symptoms, please get tested by calling your GP or the Gisborne Community Testing Centre direct on 0800 923 487.
The Community Testing Centre can increase the number of people they are testing. Call first don’t just turn up to your GP or testing Centre.
If you have no symptoms, you do not need to be tested for COVID-19.
Some workplaces are requesting a negative test from people who have recently been to Auckland before they can return to work.
This is unnecessary unless people have been to a location categorised by the Ministry of Health as an 'area of interest' (listed on the Ministry of Health's website).
Gisborne Hospital
No appointments or surgery are postponed. Please come to your appointment unless you are feeling unwell. If you have cold or flu symptoms, or loss of taste or smell, stay home and give us a call on 06 8690500.
Please remember to keep the Gisborne Hospital Emergency Department for Emergencies only. If you are feeling unwell and have a health emergency call first call (06 869 0500).
Hospital visiting is from 2pm – 8pm.
Under Alert Level 2, you can enter through the main entrance until 5.30pm. After that, the only public entry is via Emergency Department/Outpatients. All other doors are locked.
Staff are at the entrance to ask you screening questions and ensure you scan the QR Code.
Wear a mask. Bring one from home (the environmentally friendly option), or you will be offered one at the entry.
Visiting is 2-5pm in Puawai Aroha (Maternity) and the Intensive Care Unit, where – one 'well' visitor per day is permitted.
You are reminded that people in the hospital are at their most vulnerable. While visitor support is essential, so is the need to minimise risk to all patients and staff.
Please coordinate visiting with whānau and friends wherever possible.
If you are feeling unwell or have a runny nose or cough, please contact your GP do not visit anyone in Gisborne Hospital.
Please continue to regularly wash your hands and use the NZ COVID Tracer App. You will find QR codes in all Gisborne Hospital Departments. Please scan those codes.
Level 2 indicates that the disease is contained but there is a risk of community transmission.
- People coming into Gisborne Hospital and other clinical areas are to wear a face covering and scan the QR code.
- All Hauora Tairāwhiti workspaces have been configured to maintain 2 metres physical distance from people we don't know (patients and visitors) and one meter from work colleagues.
- At the Puawai Aroha Maternity Unit, birthing mothers may have one support person who will remain during labour, birth and through to postnatal discharge plus one ‘well’ visitor per day between 2 - 5pm.
If you have been at any of the locations of interest in Auckland over the last few weeks:
- Check the timeframes you were there
- Check which contact category you come under
- Follow the instructions for the contact category
- If you begin to feel unwell or develop any COVID-19 symptoms, contact Healthline on 0800 358 5453 to understand if and when you need to get tested.
The areas of interest list on the Ministry of Health website will be continually updated.
Unite against COVID-19 is still the best place to go for general advice on the Aotearoa/New Zealand response to the current new community cases of COVID-19. This includes details of travel between districts and travel between the Alert level 3 area and the rest of the country.
Here is more information on Tairāwhiti's health response to COVID-19