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

Measles case confirmed in Canterbury

Thursday 25 July 2019Media release4 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.

A new case of measles has been confirmed in the Canterbury region

An infant in the Canterbury region has been confirmed as having measles. It is now more important than ever that everyone ensures they are fully vaccinated against measles.

The infant and their family returned to Christchurch from Auckland where there is a major measles outbreak, with more than 250 confirmed cases to date. It is thought that this is where they contracted the highly infectious disease.

The infant had not yet received their first dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine which is routinely given at 15 months, with a second one at four years of age.

Anyone who was in Christchurch Hospital Emergency Department on Friday 19 July between 10pm and 3.45am the next day or on Sunday 21 July between 11.40pm and 1.40am the next morning should remain isolated until Monday 5 August, unless they are sure that they have had two MMR vaccinations or are over 50 years of age.

Canterbury DHB’s Community and Public Health team has been working to identify all family members and close contacts, determining their immunisation status and offering vaccination if appropriate.

Dr Alistair Humphrey, Canterbury Medical Officer of Health, advises that people are infectious from five days before the onset of the rash until five days after the rash appears, so it is possible to transmit the infection before you feel unwell. People who have been exposed to a case and who are not immune should remain isolated from seven to 14 days after their exposure.

“This means staying home from school or work and having no contact with unimmunised people. If you are not sure whether you are immune telephone your GP – they can advise you,” says Dr Humphrey.

People are considered immune if they have received two doses of MMR vaccine, have already had measles previously, or were born before 1969 – people born before this time will have been exposed to measles and most will therefore have had it. Most people in their 30s and 40s only had one measles vaccination and are therefore less likely to be immune until they receive another MMR vaccination, which is free.

Unimmunised people who come within two metres of an infectious person, however briefly, have a 90% chance of contracting measles.

Measles is a serious, highly infectious, potentially life-threatening disease. One in ten people who get measles will need treatment in hospital. Up to 30 percent will develop complications – usually children under 5 and adults over the age of 20. Measles during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, premature labour and low birth-weight in babies.

Unimmunised people exposed to measles first develop a respiratory type illness with a cough, or  runny nose or spots inside their mouth, and a temperature over 38.5 C and a rash which typically appears on day 4 – 5 of the illness usually on the face, then moves down to the chest and arms. 

“Because measles is so infectious, it’s important people with symptoms do not visit their general practice team, after-hours clinics or the hospital unless it’s a medical emergency. To limit further exposure to other people, they should instead phone their family doctor/general practice team for advice,” says Dr Humphrey.

Anyone with measles symptoms or who believes they may have been exposed, can contact their usual general practice 24/7 for additional advice. If people call their GP Team after hours they can be put through to a nurse who can provide free health advice and advise what to do and where to go if you need to be seen urgently.

More information about measles is available at https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/diseases-and-illnesses/measles

ENDS

Measles Fact Sheet

  • Measles is a highly infectious viral illness spread by contact with respiratory secretions through coughing and sneezing
  • Symptoms of measles include: 
    • A respiratory type of illness with dry cough, runny nose, headache
    • Temperature over 38.5 C and feeling very unwell
    • A red blotchy rash starts on day 4-5 of the illness usually on the face and moves to the chest and arms.
  • People are infectious from five days before the onset of the rash to five days after the rash starts.
  • Infected people should stay in isolation – staying home from school or work – during this time.
  • The best protection from measles is to have two MMR vaccinations. MMR is available from your general practice team and is free for eligible people.
  • People are considered immune if they have received two doses of MMR vaccine, have already the measles or were born before 1969.
  • Anyone believing they have been exposed to measles or has symptoms, should not go to the ED or after hours clinic or general practitioner. Instead call your GP any time, 24/7 for free health advice.

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Page last updated: 19 August 2021

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