16/02/2021
Kia ora whanau; here's the latest covid Update from Health NZ
Subject: COVID-19 Response Update - Latest news
Date: 2021-02-16 18:48
From: [email protected]
Pērā rawa i te korowai kapua e uhi nei i te poho o Rangi, ko te manaakitanga a te Mea Ngaro e tau mai ki runga i a tātou katoa i tēnei wā, haere nei te wā.
Tēnā tātou katoa,
There are no new cases of COVID-19 in the community and no cases in managed isolation today. While this is great news, we must remain vigilant – Tāmaki Makaurau remains at Alert Level 3 until tomorrow night and the rest of the country stays at Alert Level 2 for the same period.
Please continue to adhere to Alert Level guidelines and our tikanga hauora. I’d like to extend my deepest condolences to the whānau of a patient who died with COVID-19 this past weekend. This death has now been included in our official COVID-19 related deaths. A total of 26 peoplehave now died with COVID-19 in Aotearoa. My thoughts continue to be with the whānau of those we’ve lost to COVID-19 – mā te Wāhi Ngaro rātou e manaaki, e tiaki, e poipoi.
Update on the Tāmaki cases
The three positive cases from Tāmaki remain in quarantine. Their household contact is in isolation at home under strict public health protocols and supervision.
We continue to investigate the potential source of transmission for all three cases and will keep whānau updated. There are a number of scenarios we are pursuing.
Testing
There has been a huge surge in the demand for testing and so far, all results are negative. I want to mihi to our hardworking kaimahi who continue to swab for COVID-19. I also want to acknowledge our whānau who have patiently waited for their COVID-19 tests. E kore e mutu ngā mihi.
Whānau are still being encouraged to check out the locations of interest on our website [1]. If you were at a relevant location during the timeframe stated online, please stay at home and get tested ASAP. To organise this, call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.
It’s important the right people can get access to testing — so please don’t rush to a centre if you are well, or if you weren’t at one of the current locations of interest.
For information on where to get tested, visit Healthpoint [2]. Health services stay open Aotearoa’s hospitals, pharmacies, GPs and urgent care clinics remain
open to provide care for whānau. I want to urge anyone needing medical care to not to put it off – me haere koe, please get the help and support you need.
All health services are regarded as essential and will continue as usual with an additional focus on infection prevention control measures and physical distancing.
If you are māuiui and think you have COVID-19 symptoms [3], stay at home and call Healthline. They’ll tell you what to do.
Vaccination video to share with whânau
I wanted to share with you a story that aired last night on Te Ao with Moana. I think it quite succinctly communicates the need for whānau to get vaccinated if we are to keep our communities safe and protected. In the story, clinical immunologist's Dr Anthony Jordan and Dr Māia Brewerton join Dr Rawiri Jansen and Moana to explore why some whânau are nervous about COVID-19 and the vaccination. When you have the time, I encourage you to watch it and share with your
networks.
More updates on the COVID vaccine can be expected this week. Kia mau tonu mai ki aku pānui e kāre mā.
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For more information on COVID-19, visit the Ministry of Health website [4] or the Unite Against COVID website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or my team at: [email protected]
Please can you help:
1. Ensure your networks know about these COVID-19 updates.
2. Share information with your local networks
To ensure our whānau know the updated advice and how to keep themselves safe. Mā te Atua koutou e manaaki hei ngā rangi e tū mai nei,
Nāhaku me aku mihi aroha,
Nā
John Whaanga
Deputy Director-General | Māori Health Directorate
Waea pūkoro: 021 578 040 | Īmēra: [email protected]
