This week’s confirmation that the Delta variant of COVID-19 was spreading in the community was disappointing but not unexpected. The rapid lockdown was the only safe response and the Tarawera Medical Centre team of staff and patients adjusted rapidly back to level 4 precautions. Today’s update that level 4 will last through until at least next Wednesday for all of New Zealand was predictable. We will be operating under tighter restrictions to those we have been accustomed to for some time.

This means the surgery door is again closed and all possible consultations need to be conducted remotely. This has proceeded remarkably smoothly without the steep learning curve of the 2020 lockdown.

As before we are available to help with any issues but need to do it in a safe way. All initial contact will be by phone so if you would like to discuss a health issue please phone. You will be put on the list for telephone triage by a nurse who will then arrange a doctor call or book a time for assessment if needed. The Delta variant means that most consultations that were previously in our cabin will now be done with patients still in their car where possible. It is crucial that anyone with symptoms gets tested and the testing station at the Ron Hardie Recreation Centre has been a great help with this. This testing station will be open on Saturday 21 August 10am to 4pm. As always COVID-19 testing is free.

Make sure to have your NZ COVID Tracer app up to date so you can use it to scan in when attending essential services including the Tarawera Medical Centre. It is far more efficient than having to fill in paper based registers. The app makes contact tracing much more rapid and with the shorter incubation of the Delta variant this can be essential to limiting chains of transmission.

Repeat prescriptions are now easier to achieve with electronic prescribing. If you let us know which Pharmacy you use we can send the script directly to them without having to print a copy for most medicines. There is no need to panic and order medicines well before they are due, a week or so before you run out is adequate.

Ongoing vaccination is crucial to managing COVID-19. As such the vaccination programme continues even in lockdown with access open now to anyone over 40 and children 12-15 years old of eligible adults who can attend for vaccination with their parents. From next Wednesday 25 August bookings will open for anyone over 30 and on Wednesday 1 September for everyone over 12. Booking in by phoning 0800 829 001 for your vaccine is one thing you can personally do to help manage this pandemic.

As with the last lockdown, PathLab has reduced their cover to Tuesdays and Thursday as fewer patients are being referred for tests during lockdown.