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 update – 28 cases and 12 under investigation

Thursday 14 March 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.

Dr Ramon Pink has today confirmed the number of measles cases in the Canterbury region remains at 28

The number of measles cases in Canterbury remains at 28, with 12 under investigation.

Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Ramon Pink says it is pleasing measles numbers haven’t increased over the past 24 hours.

“Measles is incredibly infectious and numbers can easily skyrocket. This can be put down to the great response of Cantabrians and our health professionals, and our high levels of community immunity.”

“But we can’t be complacent. Measles is a very serious illness and the only way to prevent its spread is immunisation.”Dr Pink says 27,000 doses of the MMR vaccine have arrived in Canterbury this week.“We have enough vaccines to immunise those who need it most – people aged between 12months and 28 years who have never been immunised.”Over time the vaccine will be made available to other priority groups.

Dr Pink says people born after 1969 who have never been immunised, or who have measles-like symptoms, should stay away from large events or gatherings.
 
“Those who are susceptible to measles need to be aware that it is circulating in our community. Unvaccinated people can easily catch measles if they are in close contact with infectious people, so staying away from large groups helps protect yourself and others.”
 
The symptoms of measles symptoms are a cough or runny nose or conjunctivitis, and a fever above 38.5 C, and a rash.
 
If you think you may have been exposed to measles or have symptoms, please call your general practice first, 24/7. Calls made to general practices after hours will be answered by a nurse who will advise you what to do and where to go if you need to be seen
 
More information about measles is available at https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/diseases-and-illnesses/measles and http://www.immune.org.nz.

Today’s media briefing can be viewed on our Facebook page.

ENDS

Tags

Related topics

Back to Health News

Page last updated: 30 July 2020

Is this page useful?