Family Health Care

COVID-19 Update

Booster vaccines are now available for anyone aged 18+ who have had their second dose of the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine 3 months or more ago. Please come and see us. No appointment needed.

From 17 January 2022, COVID-19 vaccines are available for children and young people aged 5 years and over. Please contact us to make an appointment.

Kia ora kotou katoa. Please see below for important announcements.

• New Zealand is now operating under the Traffic Light System, with Taupō being in the RED – PHASE 3 setting.
• If you have an urgent problem or are unwell, please phone us.
• 50% of our appointments are face to face.
• Appointments for phone consults remain in place.
• If you have any cold like symptoms (cough, sore throat, runny nose, fever, fatigue) please stay at home. If you are unwell, please call us. In a health emergency call 111.
• We have minimised the need for you to come into the surgery, and you can now get any form you need emailed to you, or sent directly to the lab or radiology department. All prescriptions will be directly sent to the pharmacy of your choice.
• Please scan or sign in when you arrive and wear a facemask.
• Please like our facebook page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/taupohealth
• If anyone is struggling, feeling overwhelmed, or has mental health concerns, you can book a phone consult with one of our great Health Improvement Practitioners ‘HIPs’, or call or text 1737 anytime, for support from a trained counsellor.

Need a same day/urgent appointment? If you don’t already have an appointment, and think you need to be seen, please call and we will add your name to our GP call back list for a phone call back that day. For any health emergencies please call 111.

Immunisations? Please call us to make an appointment.

Symptoms of COVID-19? Please call us to discuss, and don’t come in without phoning first.

The COVID Swab Centre is located at 79 Miro Street and open from 08.30am-3pm from Monday to Friday and 9am-1pm on the weekend. Please follow this link for the most up-to-date information http://www.healthpoint.co.nz/community-health-services/community-health/taupo-covid-19-community-testing-centre/

Thank you everyone for your support and understanding while we continue to keep our community safe.

Kia kaha.

Information for COVID positive patients at Taupō Health Centre

1. Taupō Health Centre Covid Patient Contact Line: 8.00am to 5.00pm 5 days per week and when on-call – 07 378 7060
2. Welfare Contact (food parcels and assistance with wages): Welfare Support MSD – 0800 512 337 (nationwide number). MSD are the official suppliers of welfare assistance so please call them or visit their website http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/covid-19/self-isolation-forms/ If you are still having difficulties getting through give our call centre Tu Whare Ora a call and they can help you through the process – 0800 473 672.
3. For Covid-19 health advice call 0800 358 5453 anytime
4. If you need urgent medical help, call 111 and tell them you have Covid-19.

What to expect:

When you have a positive test, please report the result of your test on your MyCovid Record. Call 0800 222 478 if you are unable to report it on the app, choose option 3 to register your test result. You will also be sent a notification by the Ministry of Health via text message. The text message will include an online link to complete a self-assessment, this includes your health, welfare needed and contact tracing. You will need to enter the access code they send you to access the site. If you do not fill in the form within 24 hours you will be contacted.

Isolation Rules:

1. Day 0 is the day your swab is taken or the day you started having symptoms; Day 1 is the next day. Upload your positive test result to your MyCovid Record Page (see above).
2. Stay home for 7 days and do not leave the house or have visitors
3. Discharge from isolation is at 11.59pm on Day 7 if you have had no symptoms in the previous 72 hours
4. All household members must stay in isolation with you for the 7 days
5. Household members test immediately and then on Day 3 and Day 7
6. Household members can leave to travel to the testing station on Miro Street to have a swab taken and then return home
7. If a household contact tests positive, they start a new 7-day isolation period but the remainder of the house, if negative, can be released from isolation when the first positive case is released
8. Use the MSD National Welfare Line 0800 512 337 if you need food and or help accessing financial support while you are isolating at home
9. If you become unwell, please contact us on 07 378 7060 during work hours, the duty doctor after hours, and 111 if it is an emergency.

Main Symptoms:

1. Clear runny nose
2. Itchy throat
3. Cough
4. Headaches
5. Tiredness
6. Loss of appetite
7. Fevers

If you have any of these symptoms, monitor and talk to your nurse if concerned.

Any shortness of breath while resting or talking must be discussed with a nurse as soon as possible. If you are unable to catch your breath or talk then please ring 111 and get an ambulance.

Follow the below links for advice on how to self-manage during a COVID-19 infection.

COVID-19 Patient Booklet

COVID-19 Care at home – Health Navigator NZ Adult

COVID-19 Caring for your child at home – Health Navigator NZ Children

COVID-19 Mental Wellbeing – Health Navigator NZ

Information on how to test yourself with a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT):

Video explaining how to use a RAT test:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-BF0y7WNUk