BOPDHB
Coronavirus
(COVID-19)
COVID-19
what you need to know
COVID-19
Information about COVID-19 is constantly changing. To get
the most up-to-date information go to https://www.health.
govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-
novel-coronavirus.
Staff from across the health sector in the Bay of Plenty have been
preparing to ensure that we are ready to care for someone with
COVID-19 who requires hospital services.
The majority of people who contract COVID-19 will experience
an influenza type illness with fever, gastric upset or respiratory
symptoms (cough or shortness of breath). Should symptoms
become severe they may have complications such as pneumonia
and require hospital level care.
Similarly to influenza there will be people who become very unwell
and who may die. With COVID-19 this is likely to be older people or
people with pre-existing health issues. We are working across NZ to
identify potential cases and slow transmission across people.
The key message for staff is to wash your hands, practice good
cough etiquette and stay away from work if you are unwell with
a temperature, coughing or gastric symptoms. At this stage it
is unlikely that you will have COVID-19 however these things
will help keep you, your family and patients safe from droplet
transmitted infections and are good prevention tips for colds, flu
and COVID-19.
Toi Te Ora – Public Health has established a Technical Advisory
Group which meets regularly to monitor the situation and to update
guidance for clinical staff in primary care and hospitals. Here at
the DHB, an Incident Operations Centre has been activated and
is working with Toi Te Ora and the PHO teams to ensure we follow
recommendations from the Ministry of Health. Toi Te Ora is also
working with other services in our community such as the Port,
Councils, Aged Residential Care and tourism providers to ensure
that they are informed and know what steps to take.
General Practices have been supplied with information and stocks
of personal protective equipment (PPE). At this time people who
present in primary care are screened by Health Line and only
referred to health services if they meet the current case definition.
Here at BOPDHB, at the time of publicaton (18-03-2020) we
have no confirmed cases of COVID-19, however we have been
providing screening and advice around self-isolation to people
who present with concerns and meet the current MOH case
definition. This case definition changes regularly as COVID-19 is
identified in new countries – we now
ask all people who have returned from
anywhere overseas in the last 14 days,
and who present with symptoms to
identify themselves so that assessment
for risk of COVID-19 can be undertaken.
Just a reminder symptoms of COVID-19
can include a cough, fever, gastric
symptoms and breathing difficulties.
There has been a lot of misinformation
on social media about COVID-19.
The facts are that we as a country
are monitoring the situation closely,
screening people who may be at risk of
carrying COVID-19 virus and containing
risk where possible. We are also
preparing should the virus become more
widespread. As a country we have a
national pandemic plan and as the lead
agency in New Zealand, the Ministry of
Health website can be trusted to have the latest information.
We have a Bay of Plenty Pandemic Plan outlining the various
groups involved in our response and their roles in managing
should this become a pandemic. Just a reminder that every year
we experience ‘small’ pandemics of influenza, the difference
with COVID-19 is that this is a new virus and therefore we do not
have immunity within our population. This means that it may be
transmitted more rapidly and impact on more people than with
seasonal influenza viruses. In addition there is no vaccination
currently available for COVID-19.
As you will have
seen in the news
we do have the
ability to isolate
and manage cases
in New Zealand
at this time. We
will be avoiding
admitting all but
those people who
require specialist
hospital level care.
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