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

Catch up on your free vaccination to avoid catching measles

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  3. Catch up on your free vaccination to avoid catching measles

Tuesday 6 October 2020Media release3 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.

Cantabrians are being urged to catch up on their MMR vaccinations and get their free measles immunisation now

If you’re between 15 and 30 years old and haven’t had your MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine, or you’re not sure, get your free immunisation now.

Last year more than 2,000 Kiwis got sick from measles and more than 700 needed hospital treatment, while 80 people in Samoa, mostly children, died from the disease.

Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Cheryl Brunton says last year’s measles outbreak and this year’s COVID-19 pandemic have shown the impact infectious diseases can have when we are not immune.

“Now is the time to catch up on the vaccinations we have easy access to, such as MMR, to protect our community and whānau in the future,” Dr Brunton says.

People born between 1990 and 2005 have the lowest immunity against measles and are most at risk of catching it because a higher than usual proportion of this age group didn’t have their scheduled childhood MMR vaccinations. This group is not only more likely to catch measles but also spread it to others, which is why there is now a national catch-up programme focusing on improving the immunity of this group.

In most people, one dose of MMR vaccine ensures about 95 percent protection from measles, while two doses provide around 99 percent protection. The vaccine also protects against mumps and rubella. It is safe to have an MMR even if you are unsure if you have been fully immunised.

“We’re urging everyone aged 15 to 30 years old to get at least one MMR vaccination to help prevent future outbreaks of measles.

“Ask your doctor, parents or caregiver if you had two doses of MMR as a kid, and if you didn’t or aren’t sure, it’s a good idea to get one MMR dose now,” says Dr Brunton.

General Practice teams across Canterbury have started inviting people in this age group to come in for their free measles catch up. You can also get an MMR catch up from some pharmacies if you are aged over 16.

“Measles is more than eight times more infectious than COVID-19. It can make you very sick and affect your health for the rest of your life.

“Getting a catch-up MMR vaccination now will make sure you and those around you are protected in the future,” says Dr Brunton.

MMR is also part of the childhood immunisation schedule (which moved to 12 and 15 months from 1 October). Anyone born after 1969 continues to be eligible for two free MMR doses. 

For more information about measles and the MMR vaccination, visit the Ministry of Health’s website protectagainstmeasles.org.nz.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 19 August 2021

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