COVID-19 Update – (as at 31 Aug, 2020). We are at Alert Level 2 for all of New Zealand, and extra restrictions in Auckland. Protect yourself and others

  • Stay home if you’re sick
  • Face coverings:
  • You must wear a face covering on public transport if you are aged 12 and over
  • You are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering when you leave the house,https://covid19.govt.nz/health-and-wellbeing/face-coverings
  • Physical distancing:
    • 2m in public e.g. shopping malls, parks
    • 1m in controlled environments where contact tracing and other public health measures are in place e.g cafes, gyms, faith-based settings
  • Continue to wash your hands for 20 seconds, and sneeze and cough into your elbow
  • Disinfect commonly used surfaces at home and at work
  • COVID-19 ‘loves crowds’- Only 10 people max. for all social gatherings except for funerals and tangi
  • Keep a record of your daily movements- this will help with contact tracing,https://tracing.covid19.govt.nz

Be Kind

  • If you work /live somewhere that you want translations. Please find here Traditional Chinese two posters: How to Handwash here and How to Handrub here
  • The ARPHS COVID-19 webpage Chinese section has been updated with more information that might be of help, see here.
  • Accessing Health Services During Alert Level 2 information, see below (and attached) – please share:

Healthcare – what do you do during ALERT LEVEL 2? 

1.      Feeling well?

  • You can leave home, but you must follow public health measures and consider others around you
  • Follow the Alert level 2 directions in place for the Auckland region,

https://covid19.govt.nz/covid-19/alert-system/alert-level-2/ Feeling unwell? Do you need testing or care?

  • If you are in Auckland and have any cold or flu-like symptoms, you should get a COVID-19 test.  The symptoms of COVID-19 can include:
  • New or worsening cough
  • Fever
  • Sore throat
  • Temporary loss of smell
  • Runny nose.

If you have any of these symptoms? 1. Call Your family doctor (GP) first -call ahead to find out if you need a test and follow their advice 2. Go to a Designated GP 3. Go to an Urgent Care Clinic, or 4. Final option go to a COVID-19 Testing Centre (CTC) See list: https://www.arphs.health.nz/assets/Uploads/Resources/Disease-and-illness/Coronavirus/Covid19_Testing-sites-A4.pdf

  • Call Healthline, 0800 358 5453 for health advice (choose Option#1 for language support, stay on the line, then say the language you want e.g ‘Korean’.
  • If you need to access other care, call your health service first:
  • GPs/Urgent Care Clinics are open
  • Call them first if you are sick or have any health concerns
  • Planned care in hospital. Strong measures are in place to keep you safe in our hospitals.
  • Go to your appointments unless you are told otherwise by the service. See each DHB’s info below on their website.
  • Hospital visitor policy Alert Level 2 visitor rules will be in place. Check your local DHB’s website or Facebook page for information on their hospital visitor policy:

Auckland DHB, http://www.adhb.health.nz/your-health/covid-19/#CTCs Waitematā DHB, https://www.waitematadhb.govt.nz/patients-visitors/covid-19-information Is it an Emergency? ·         Call 111, OR ·         Go to your nearest hospital Emergency Department (ED). ED is open. Need to talk?

General INTEL

  • Former Refugee and Asylum Seeker Health & Wellbeing Webinar ‘Response and reflections of COVID-19 in accessing and utilising primary health services’. Details: 8 Sep, 5.30-7.00pm. For more information, see here, and to register, [email protected].
  • RASNZ symposium webinar recordings Details: For more information, see here Visitor Care Manaaki Manuhiri (Foreign Nationals Impacted by COVID-19 Programme) reflections video
    [NZ Red Cross] For more information see here; and to view the video here Asian flu vaccination programme [Counties Manukau Health] For more information, see here Cervical Screening Awareness Month (starts 1 Sep) We encourage all women between 25 and 69 who have ever been sexually active to get tested if you’re not up to date on your smear test. For more information, visit the Time to Screen website, here
  • Gambling Harm Awareness Week (1-6 Sep) Details: For more information, see Asian Family Services here; and Gambling Helpline here Annual provisional suicide statistics [Office of the Chief Coroner of New Zealand] Between 2018/19 and 2019/2020, the Asian rate went up from 5.09 to 7.91 – an increase of 20 deaths. For more information, see here
  • On behalf of New Zealand, Kea wants to check in with Kiwis currently living overseas. Being away from home has never been more challenging. If you or your family members are planning to stay offshore, or looking to come home to New Zealand, Kea encourages completing this short survey which will allow them to understand where offshore Kiwi’s are at, and what they might need from home. Complete the survey here.
  • If there was ever a year to attend Building Nations, 2020 is it. COVID-19 has dramatically changed the New Zealand landscape, and infrastructure will be at the centre of the economic recovery. ReBuilding Nations on 18 -19 November at The Trusts Arena will explore how we can use this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do things differently and create an even better New Zealand. Hear from Ministers and their plans to get shovel-ready projects off the ground and learn from best-practice speakers on how we can take a new approach to housing, water, transport and planning to accelerate development and create new jobs. After the uncertainty of the first half of this year, ReBuilding Nations is a fantastic opportunity to connect with public and private sector colleagues face to face. More information and registration details here.