Cars line up at the main entrance of the Dannevirke Community Hospital so occupants can receive their flu jab. (Appointment required).
Cars line up at the main entrance of the Dannevirke Community Hospital so occupants can receive their flu jab. (Appointment required).
Tararua's health services will continue to serve the community during the four-week lock down.
The Tararua Health Group (THG) assures the public that services will continue, with the slight modifications imposed this week.
Group operations manager Tania Chamberlain said it is vital people phone the Barraud Street and Pahiatua Medical centres and "talk to nurses who will decide if a patient needs to be seen in person and in those cases, the clinical team will discuss how this will take place with the patient."
A separate room has been set up for high-risk patients. Chamberlain said this was another way of ensuring patient safety where there was an immune deficiency.
Patients were asked not to be alarmed by these measures. They were simply part of Tararua Health Group's proactive approach to Covid-19 to slow its spread and were in line with Ministry of Health guidelines.
Chamberlain said the medical centre would continue to see emergency cases such as chest pain, shortness of breath and bleeding. "Patients must absolutely come in for emergency treatment and will be seen straight away," she said.
Tararua Health Group has also made changes to the way it deals with prescriptions. All prescriptions will be sent directly to the pharmacy and patients will be asked to provide an email address which will generate an electronic invoice that enables then to pay on line.
For patients who do not have an email address Tararua Health Group will endeavour to post out invoices.
Chamberlain asks that people be kind to staff who have been working long hours.
"Be patient when phoning – our lines have been running hot," she said.
Through HOPS (Health of Old People) the THG is working with community groups and iwi to ensure no elderly person is left without help.
To obtain a subsidised flu jab contact the Barraud Street Medical Centre which will organise a time. Many have been treated already in their cars at the main entrance of the hospital after making an appointment. The THG is working through its list of high priority, vulnerable patients to ensure all get the protection.
Meanwhile the district's pharmacies are also doing their best to serve the community. Dannevirke Pharmacy is running full hours but is restricting access to protect staff and the community from Covid-19.
Dannevirke Pharmacy set up to issue prescriptions on Tuesday.
Clients wanting to visit the pharmacy are greeted at the door and asked if they are well, have travelled or been in contact with a person who has travelled in the last 14 days.
Pharmacy owners Hamish and Jess Pankhurst say Covid-19 is an ever-evolving situation so the pharmacy is ever evolving to ensure it can remain open.
He said the key message was that people shouldn't panic.
"We are looking at increasing our home deliveries and we have waived the fax fee on prescriptions.
"We are taking all these measures to ensure that we are here for the long haul."
Jess said everyone over the age of 70 should be avoiding leaving home.
She asked that customers be patient as staff respond to their needs.
"There is no need to stockpile medicines, just remember to renew your prescription before you run out and please give us 24 hours to process your prescription if possible."
Customers are asked to avoid going into the pharmacy where possible.
Customers can ask their GP clinic to send their prescription directly to the pharmacy, then phone for a time to collect their prescriptions or if they need a repeat or need to buy items from the pharmacy.
The pharmacy is limiting the number of people in the shop at any one time to 1-2 and asks them to remain in their cars until their prescription is ready.
