Monday 1 June will be the last day that the War Memorial Theatre will operate as a Community Based Assessment Centre.
From Tuesday 2 June, anyone with respiratory symptoms (cough, sniffles, sore throat, short of breath, or a loss of taste or smell) should phone their GP practice. After a chat on the phone, if the person needs to be assessed, an appointment will be made at the practice.
All local practices have plans in plans to ensure that people being seen with something that could be COVID-19 are kept separate from other patients. For most practices, this is in the form of a portable office in their car park. Consultations and swabbing for COVID-19 will remain a free service.
If the practice decides that the person doesn’t need to be seen by a doctor, but does still need a swab they will be sent to get a swab at a nurse-led swabbing centre.
The move away from a dedicated assessment centre can be made now because we are confident that we have no COVID-19 in Tairāwhiti at the moment, says Medical Officer of Health Dr Osman David Mansoor. “However, we need to remain vigilant in case it re-emerges in our communities. Therefore I encourage you to get tested early if you have even mild cold or flu symptoms, or loss or change in smell or taste. Call your GP and they will direct you where to go.”
We are extremely grateful to the Gisborne District Council for making the theatre available, says Hauora Tairāwhiti Board Chair Kim Ngarimu. “It has worked incredibly well as an assessment centre. We are also grateful to all the people who were involved in its set up and operation. It has been a true collaboration between Gisborne GP practices, Hauora Tairāwhiti and the community. From the builders and technical people who built the cubicles and set up the infrastructure in record time to the administrators, security people, cleaners, nurses and doctors who have staffed the centre for the last 8 weeks, everyone pitched in to make this work for Tairāwhiti.”