Canterbury District Health Board Chief Medical Officer Dr Sue Nightingale said the key changes are to the number of visitors permitted at our hospitals and health centres, visiting hours and visitors being asked to wear a mask.
"We encourage people to keep a record of where they go and when via the NZ COVID Tracer App. Please check in using app at the front door when you enter any of our buildings," she said.
New level 2 Covid restrictions:
Christchurch Hospital
- Under Covid-19 level 2, visiting hours have changed and are from 3pm to 8pm until further notice.
- One visitor at a time is allowed in adult areas.
- One support person is allowed in outpatient areas.
- Two parents/caregivers are allowed in child health areas.
- Charge nurse managers can make exceptions on compassionate grounds.
Burwood Hospital
- Visiting hours remain 11am to 7pm.
- Only two visitors may visit an inpatient at a time. These can be different people each time.
- People attending an outpatient appointment can have one support person with them.
- Charge nurse managers can make exceptions on compassionate grounds.
Christchurch Women’s Hospital/Rangiora Health Hub Maternity/Lincoln Maternity/Ashburton Maternity
- There is no change to visiting at Christchurch Women’s Hospital under level 2 with women in labour allowed two support people for the duration of her labour and birth.
- For the duration of their postnatal stay, a woman can have one named support person from the above bubble who will be able to visit once per day for any length of time from 10am-8pm (they will have to sign in at reception).
Said Dr Nightingale: "At alert level 2, we are asking all visitors to wear a mask when visiting our facilities if they can.
"It can be a fabric mask or scarf but must cover your nose and mouth."
She said there is no visiting allowed at any aged residential care facilities operated by CDHB. This includes Tuarangi Home in Ashburton along with our facilities in Kaikoura, Ellesmere, Oxford, Darfield and Waikari.
Details of further changes to visiting at other CDHB facilities are available here.
"As always, please don’t visit if you’re unwell and remember the usual public health precautions such as hand hygiene and physical distancing (wherever possible stay two metres away from people you don’t know, and one metre away from people you do know)," said Dr Nightingale.
If you have Covid-19 symptoms (any acute respiratory infection with at least one of the following symptoms: new or worsening cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, stuffy or runny nose, lost sense of smell – with or without a fever), phone your general practice or call Healthline - 0800 358 5453.
Dr Nightingale said most GP teams are offering testing if you have these symptoms.
If you have symptoms and are not registered with a GP, you can attend the testing centre run by Whānau Ora at 250 Pages Road between 9am to 1pm, seven days a week. You do not need an appointment to attend.
If you are unwell and need to see a doctor, phone your usual GP for advice 24/7. For general health information, visit healthinfo.org.nz.
