Following yesterday’s four positive cases, including two school children, there are no further new cases identified in Tairāwhiti today.
The day has been very busy concentrating on the four people who tested positive yesterday, contact tracing, working with Ilminister Intermediate to support and advise the pupils and staff there, plus putting in place increased testing to respond to the need.
We owe a big thanks to the teams involved in testing who responded so quickly to make sure so many people had access today. Unfortunately, not everyone could get tested today but there is more available tomorrow (see details below).
Thank you also to everyone who has come forward for testing – and often had to wait a time in their cars to get that test. Thank you for your patience.
We are concentrating on seeing what the exposure risk actually is for the children at the school in the relevant classes. There is no identification of “close contacts” but students and teachers may have been contacts hence the need to test. Other family members or household contacts do not need to get tested, unless you have symptoms. That also applies to anyone else in the community. If you are outside the Ilminister student and teacher group please don’t go for testing, unless you have symptoms.
Our contact tracing has identified one new location of interest today:
- Lone Star Gisborne. If you were there between 6:30pm and 9pm on Sunday 6 February, self-isolate and get tested immediately. This will now be your day 5 test after you were exposed at this location of interest. Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided.
- Record your visit online or call Healthline so contact tracers can get in touch.
For all locations of interest and details of what to do for each type, see the Ministry of Health website: https://bit.ly/2M1fgib
Testing:
If you have symptoms, please self-isolate and get tested. Drive-through testing will be available tomorrow at Watson Park from 9am-midday and at te Tini o Porou from 2pm to 4pm.
You can also get tested at your GP clinic, or Te Puia Hospital (please phone ahead for these locations).
With COVID-19 now present within our community, it’s important that we prepare and practice good health habits.
- If you have symptoms, please go into self isolation, do not go to work or school etc, and please get tested. Do not delay.
- Check your household members and if they also have symptoms make sure they go into isolation and are tested. It is very likely if you are positive you will have passed the infection on to the other people you live with or who have come into your home.
- If you have not had a dose of vaccine, your second dose or your booster, get it today. Do not delay. Omicron transmits less and is a more mild illness with full vaccination. The vaccination options link is below.
- Please make sure children are vaccinated. The benefits are strong for children and it is our responsibility as adults to protect them, and to make sure they are less likely to pass the virus on to family members or friends.
- Please always remember mask wearing, QR coding and hand washing. If you are out of your home, please wear a mask and avoid sharing air with people outside your home bubble. That is home bubble, there is no such thing as a work bubble.
- Make a plan for self isolation in your home. How you will all live together, how you will be able to isolate from one another if only some of the family are ill. For example if you have one toilet how you will arrange to isolate when using it, flush it safely and disinfect for the next user. You can find plan guidance on the MoH website.
- Make a plan for how you will work in a network to support family, whānau, neighbours and community.
- Know the requirements for contacting work/school.
Please don’t delay on these points. Now is the time.
Vaccinations and Boosters:
Find out where you can get a vaccination/booster done here: https://bit.ly/3o38iZP