FIRST-time mum Sophie McElhone was relieved once her son Albert received his three-month immunisations on time and safely at her general practice this week.
While little Albert relaxed in his mum’s arms Sophie says she was adamant that she would get him vaccinated as per the childhood immunisation schedule.
“Getting my son vaccinated was always a priority. He’s had his six-week shots and this April he was due for his three-month ones,” she says.
“I wouldn’t forgive myself if he got sick from a preventable illness. I still wanted to bring him in despite the COVID-19 alert levels.”
Albert was immunised by nurse Naomi Gordon at Delautour Medical in Kaiti. Ms Gordon says they are holding immunisation clinics at specific times of the day helping ensure patients are kept safe and separate from each other.
When Ms McElhone arrived at the practice she phoned to say she was in her car. Ms Gordon escorted mum and baby into the medical centre through a side door and into a carefully sanitised treatment room.
“We’re taking all the extra precautions necessary to keep patients and ourselves safe,” says Ms Gordon, who wore a facial mask during the appointment.
“It’s important babies and young children are immunised on time and every time they are due, so if any of our patients are wondering if their baby is due, they should call us.”
Hauora Tairawhiti immunisation coordinator Janine Brown says general practices are safe places to be during the alert level 3 lockdown. If babies and children are due for a vaccination they should ring their practice and find out what to do next.
“Families can feel safe taking their infants and children back into general practice for their childhood immunisations.”
“Even though we have been in lockdown once we as a nation start circulating again there are still other diseases out there including pertussis, rotavirus, measles and mumps that we need to be mindful of particularly going into winter.”
In this district, general practices are using telephone and video consultations to further help maintain everyone’s safety. Any patient face-to-face visits are carefully managed by practice staff so as to keep everyone a safe distance from everyone else.
People who phone their general practice with respiratory symptoms are being directed to visit the War Memorial Community Assessment Centre thereby helping reduce the spread of other illnesses.
Despite the country being at alert level 3 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 first-time mum Sophie McElhone felt safe visiting DeLautour Medical for baby Albert’s three-month immunisation. Nurse Naomi Gordon says parents and caregivers should ring their general practice if their baby’s immunisation is due or if they think their baby has not had all their immunisations.