Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher is urging people to remain calm and be sensible about the threat of Covid-19.
The main advice about the outbreak was coming from the Ministry of Health and District Health Boards, Mr Kircher said, but the Waitaki District Council had a role at local level through Civil Defence and emergency management.
The council had a pandemic action plan in place to protect staff and the public at places including libraries, museums, and the Oamaru Opera House.
Decisions about closing such services would be led by advice from the Ministry of Health, he said.
"We’re looking at minimising meetings. We’re checking on how we can make things safer and still keep open — promoting e-books instead of real books, for example.
"We’re getting cancellations at the Opera House. It’s the inevitable fallout.
"It is really important to limit the spread of Covid-19. It’s not about who’s going to survive and who’s not.
"We want to all get through, and not overwhelm hospital services.
"The more we can limit the spread, the greater the chance the hospital and health professionals have of managing the situation."
Clutha District Council chief executive Steve Hill said yesterday the council had activated its "Pandemic Plan".
"The plan covers several objectives.
"It aims to minimise staff exposure to the virus by employing social distancing and applying additional cleaning regimes.
"It also helps us prepare for potential site closures, meeting restrictions, and to ensure services continue to be delivered."
The council had also developed a Covid-19-specific risk register to highlight critical risks areas, and related response efforts, he said.
"These will minimise any potential impact which eventuates from Covid-19."
Clutha was treating both as live documents and would be "updating and responding" as developments occurred.
