Health and disability services at Alert Level 1

New Zealand is now at Alert Level 1.

Last updated: 9 June

At Alert Level 1, the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and transmission in the community in New Zealand is very low. This means that generally, people can fully participate in society without any COVID-19 related restrictions, however strict border measures will remain.

It’s still important to keep in mind that COVID-19 is uncontrolled in many areas overseas, and we should not be complacent because COVID-19 can spread quickly if it re-emerges.

Using health and disability services at Alert Level 1

People attending a health or disability service may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 for a range of reasons. That is why it is important for health and disability services to continue to maintain infection prevention and control measures, and to collect information from patients and other people interacting with patients at their services.

Health and disability services will be running as normal under Alert Level 1 but some precautions will be in place to protect people who are vulnerable to severe COVID-19 from exposure to the virus.

This will include:

• strict adherence to infection prevention and control protocols;
• and screening on entrance to medical facilities, where staff may ask you if you have been overseas recently, had contact with anyone who has been overseas recently or had any potential recent exposure to COVID-19 such as being a close contact of a confirmed or probable case.

If you need to access healthcare, consider contacting your healthcare provider ahead of time so they can explain any different processes that are in place during Alert Level 1. COVID-19 related precautions are not expected to affect the availability or timeliness of health or disability services.

East Care is separating respiratory patients from non-respiratory to keep our waiting room safe.

Masks are voluntary for patients and you can bring your own or purchase if you wish.

You may see our clinicians still wearing masks so they remain protected as they get in close proximity to patients assessing and treating them so this keeps both you and us safe from both COVID 19 and other respiratory illnesses.