COVID-19 Update: Visiting under Omicron Surge

2 March, 2022

Dear Families and Friends

Visiting under Omicron Surge – likely changes

As you will be aware, the daily case numbers for Omicron are increasing rapidly. This greatly increases the risk of Omicron coming into our facility via either staff or visitors. We are therefore making daily calls on how to protect our residents and staff, including the risk associated with our current visiting.

Changes this week – Surveillance RAT testing of a percentage of visitors

For this week we will be selecting a random sample of visitors daily and asking you to have a RAT test. Thank you in advance for your co-operation with this. RAT testing is painless (it is not as invasive as the PCR tests), and takes only 15 minutes. This 15 minutes will be added onto your visiting time if you are selected so you will not miss out on your visit.

If you can RAT test at home before visiting please do so

RAT tests are now available at some retail outlets and many of you may be RAT testing daily for your work. If you are able to RAT test on the day of a visit we would appreciate you doing so. Please take a date/time stamped photo of the results and bring this with you when you visit.

We may need to reduce visiting numbers and RAT test all visitors from next week

Depending on a number of factors including the results of our surveillance testing,  case numbers and the supply of RAT test we may shift next week to 1 visit per week and a compulsory RAT test. Please be prepared for this. We will communicate again later this week about this change if it is to occur.

Lockdowns, if required, will take place without prior notice

If we have what is classified by the DHB as an ‘outbreak’ we have to lockdown either that community or the whole facility. Residents will be required to isolate in their rooms for a few days.  This requirement is immediate and we may not be able to communicate with booked visitors before you arrive. Please be understanding if this occurs.

Follow all visiting rules – especially staying masked

Please follow all our visiting rules. Staying masked is especially important therefore please do not bring food or drink to eat while visiting.

You must continue to book visits via the web site, click here

As noted in an earlier email we know there are a variety of opinions about how to handle Covid and visiting but our staff do not have time to discuss this and will not be responding to general questions or debate about Covid or visiting. Our visiting rules can be found on our booking site, click here

Thank you in advance for your co-operation and patience.

We are all doing the best we can to keep everyone safe and well.