Hawke’s Bay DHB Emergency Response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

16 Mar 2020, 16:31

Hawke’s Bay DHB activated its full-scale emergency response structure today in preparation and response to COVID-19 pandemic. 

Interim Chief Executive Craig Climo said planning was well underway to establish community assessment centres across the region, to swab and assess unwell people. The first of these was expected to open Thursday morning at Hastings Health Centre’s old building, 101 Queen Street East, Hastings.  

Phone numbers and other details of how to access the assessment centre(s) would be advertised and promoted as soon as they were finalised, he said. 

Mr Climo said the DHB had been working closely with pharmacies, general practice and aged residential care facilities for some weeks to help ensure they had the training and equipment in place if a community outbreak of COVID-19 occurred. 

“Preparing and planning at Hawke’s Bay Hospital was ongoing and an isolation ward was ready to be put in place if required. The hospital also had six negative pressure isolation rooms including in the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit. 

“Staff have had on-going training in the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and that training has also been rolled out to our primary care and aged care partners over the past weeks.” 

Mr Climo said people needed to follow the Ministry of Health’s advice which was; regular handwashing with soap and water, staying away from work and others if you were sick, following basic cough or sneeze etiquette into the elbow, staying away from crowds and if you were unwell to call Healthline 0800 358 5453 or visit  www.health.govt.nz/covid-19 

“There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Hawke’s Bay and the DHB continues to advise people to follow the Ministry of Health’s guidelines when it comes to large gatherings.” However, Mr Climo said people organising events should be mindful the situation was rapidly evolving and to use their own judgement as the potential to increase the spread of any virus was increased when people gathered. 

Medical Officer of Health Dr Nick Jones said the DHB was well prepared and advanced in its pandemic response. 

“My advice to everyone is look after yourself, look out for each other and be mindful of older people living alone, take time to talk to children and to check in on your neighbours especially those that you know are living by themselves.” 

Hawke’s Bay DHB will be providing daily updates on anything Hawke’s Bay specific from www.ourHealthhb.nz  and on Facebook. The Ministry of Health’s website www.health.govt.nz  had the latest national advice and was being updated regularly, Dr Jones said. 

Anyone who felt unwell and had been in contact with someone from overseas should call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 for advice. 

Anyone with symptoms of: a high temperature and cough, sore throat or shortness of breath should not turn up at a general practice, accident or medical centre or Hawke’s Bay Hospital’s Emergency Department without phoning ahead first.