VISITING HOSPITAL

All hospital visitors are recommended to wear a medical face mask. Expand this message for information about visiting hospital.

Last updated:
13 March 2023

Some visitor restrictions for all Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury hospitals and health facilities remain in place, but we have relaxed others.

There is still a heightened risk to vulnerable people in hospital and so we recommend all people wear a mask when visiting any of our facilities and follow other advice designed to keep patients, staff and  visitors safe.

To keep everybody safe:

  • Visitors or support people must not visit our facilities if they are unwell. Do not visit if you have recently tested positive for COVID-19 and haven’t completed your isolation period.
  • Patients may have more than one visitor, except in some situations such as multi-bed rooms where it can cause overcrowding.
  • Surgical/medical masks are recommended to be worn at all sites. Masks will be provided if you don’t have one.
  • For Specialist Mental Health Services everyone is strongly encouraged to wear a face mask in all inpatient areas and areas where consumers are receiving care (i.e. community appointments, home-visits, transporting people). Discretion may be applied in cases where masks impair your ability to communicate effectively.
  • Visitors must not eat or drink in multibed rooms because of the increased risk when multiple people remove their face mask in the same space.
  • Hand sanitiser is available and must be used.

Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as our staff work hard to protect and care for some of the most vulnerable in our community.

Visiting patients with COVID-19

  • People can visit patients who have COVID-19 but they must wear an N95 mask – this will be provided if you don’t have one.
  • Other methods of communication will be facilitated e.g. phone, Facetime, Zoom, WhatsApp etc where visits aren’t possible.

All of our Hospitals

Visiting hours for our hospitals have returned to pre COVID-19 hours with the exception of Christchurch Women’s Hospital.

All visitors are recommended to wear a medical face mask.

Parents/caregivers are able to be with their child in hospital and visitors are now allowed, except for the Children’s Haematology and Oncology Day stay where just one parent/caregiver is able to attend their appointment with their child. Exceptions by special arrangement only.

Patients and visitors should also read the additional more detailed visiting guidelines for each specific hospital.

More COVID-19 information

Canterbury measles outbreak declared officially over

Thursday 16 May 2019Media release2 minutes to read

THIS IS AN ARCHIVED PAGE. The advice and information contained in this page may not be current and it should only be used for historical reference purposes.

Canterbury health authorities have today declared the measles outbreak officially over.

Canterbury health authorities have today declared the measles outbreak that started in the region on 16 February officially over.

Canterbury medical officer of health Dr Ramon Pink says there have now been two full incubation periods since the last case was infectious.

“While it’s great we can declare Canterbury’s measles outbreak officially over, the reality is that measles is only a plane ride away,” says Dr Pink.

Auckland, Bay of Plenty, and Lakes DHBs are still dealing with their own outbreaks. Cases have also been reported in the Northland, Wellington and Waikato DHB areas.

Dr Pink says that all of these cases have come from travellers bringing the disease from overseas.

“Measles is running rampant in several countries right now – the number of new cases worldwide rose by 300% during the first three months of 2019.

“Measles is an ever present threat and the only way we can stop measles from returning is to increase immunity in our community.”

Dr Pink says the MMR vaccination is free for those under 50 who haven’t had two doses.

“We are still encouraging people, especially children, teenagers and young adults who have never been vaccinated to get immunised.  As well as vaccinating those who have never been vaccinated, those who have had one vaccine are being encouraged to get a second.”

Dr Pink says he is proud of the Canterbury Health System’s response to the outbreak.

“Over the last three months people from right across the Canterbury Health System have worked tirelessly to put the lid on this outbreak. There’s been a huge response from primary care, labs, Christchurch Hospital as well as public health action in contact tracing and case management.

“Cantabrians have responded extremely well themselves, and I’d like to thank them for taking this outbreak so seriously, adhering to our advice and getting vaccinated.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the support of the media to help us communicate these important messages about measles immunisation to the public.

“While we’ve achieved a great result, we know that we must increase the immunity of our community, to minimise the impact of another measles outbreak.”

ENDS

Note to Editors

  • In Canterbury there were a total of 38 confirmed measles cases linked to the outbreak, plus one additional case. 

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Page last updated: 19 August 2021

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