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

To swim or not to swim

Wednesday 27 January 2021Media release2 minutes to read

Cantabrians are being urged to stay out of the water if they’ve been sick or are feeling unwell to help limit the spread of gastro illnesses

This week’s stretch of hot weather serves as a good reminder that the end of January and right through the month of February is typically the hottest period of the year for us here in Canterbury.

These hotter temperatures make taking a dip in a nice cool swimming pool very appealing and as the start of the school year approaches, school pools will become especially popular.

When it comes to pools, the main way people can become ill is through contact with infected or polluted water.

So to reduce the chances of people getting sick, Cantabrians are being urged to stay out of the water if they’ve been sick or are feeling unwell to help limit the spread of gastro illnesses.

Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Ramon Pink explains that people assume chlorine will kill everything, but Cryptosporidium and Giardia in particular are resistant to the standard chlorine dosages you find in most pools.

“People can become ill by sharing a swimming pool or spa with a person who has had a recent gastro infection and hasn’t fully recovered from the illness.

“Most people who contract gastro infections experience symptoms such as watery diarrhoea, stomach cramps and nausea, vomiting and fever. Others, who have weakened immune systems, can develop serious, chronic, and sometimes fatal illness.

“These symptoms can occur on and off for weeks – which is why we are asking people to respect a stand-down period of two weeks after their symptoms subside, during which they should avoid swimming in pools or sharing a spa. This is to ensure they have fully recovered and are no longer infectious,” says Dr Pink.

The key things to remember if you have had a serious gastro bug are:

  • Stay away from pools and spas for at least two weeks after you feel better
  • Even if you haven’t been ill, always shower before entering the pool
  • Report any ‘code browns’ immediately – community pool operators can clean as needed and apply a stronger dose of chlorine to the area to make it safer.

ENDS

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Page last updated: 27 January 2021

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