A wellbeing expo next week aims to connect people in North Canterbury and support their health and well-being.
The Culverden Well-being Expo will be a free family event at Amuri Area School on Friday, March 27, from 3pm to 6pm.
Waitaha Primary Health practice support navigator Pamela Black says the expo is a great chance for anyone in Hurunui to meet staff from a range of health and well-being services.
If anyone requires support to enrol with a North Canterbury medical centre, Waitaha Primary Health can help at the Expo, as well as provide information to promote health and well-being awareness.
The Expo is supported by Waitaha Health, Together Hurunui, Welcoming Communities, Health NZ, St John, and health centres in Hurunui.
Practice manager at Amuri Community Health Centre, Jo Powell, says the expo is a great way to access information and advice about general health and wellness, from many different practitioners.
Amuri Community Health Centre and other health providers in the Hurunui district will be there.
‘‘We want to encourage wellness and also support people to be enrolled with our health care centre, to ensure they can access healthcare if they need it,’’ Powell says.
Health centres across Canterbury will be starting flu vaccinations from the beginning of April, and a Covid-19 booster will be available if people want it.
Powell says a further Covid-19 wave is on us so more people are becoming more unwell, which may mean the level of immunity is decreasing.
The MMR vaccination for measles is also available at Hurunui health centres.
‘‘We strongly encourage people to consider becoming vaccinated against measles, too, which is a highly contagious and vaccine-preventable disease.
‘‘Protect yourself and your loved ones.’’
Black encouraged the MMR vaccine as measles spreads faster than most diseases, often before symptoms appear.
She says whooping cough is another illness that does the rounds, and can be vaccinated for.
‘‘The flu vaccine strengthens immunity against circulating virus strains, reduces the severity of symptoms if you do get sick, and helps prevent spreading the virus to family and the community.’’
