COVID-19 updates
Always use The Ministry of Health website as the source of correct and up to date information
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Kia ora koutou Thank you all for flexing so rapidly into the Alert Level 4 way of doing things (again!). It is so important we all keep ourselves safe whilst we determine the scope of this outbreak and continue to care for our patients. Please use the Primary Care Quick Refence Guide for guidance on assessing and testing the undifferentiated respiratory illness and those at risk of COVID-19 infection. continued...
We wish to clarify the instructions in the advice around when a P2/N95 mask might be applicable. As we are all in Alert level 4 the following principles of access to central supply for P2/N95 apply: Health professionals who:
Each box of 3M particulate respirators has fit check instructions. To fit check the particulate respirator, users can either perform a positive-pressure or negative-pressure seal check: · A positive-pressure check means covering the mask with your clean hands and exhaling. If the seal is good, the respirator will bulge slightly. If not, that indicates that air is leaking around the edges of the respirator.
Red streaming of all undifferentiated respiratory illness is necessary. Ideally your Red Stream includes:
Ngā mihi COVID-19 Health Supply Chain COVID-19 Health System Response, Ministry of Health l www.moh.govt.nz Media release 18 August 2021There are two new cases of COVID-19 in the community to confirm. This is additional to the five cases reported previously. This brings the total of community cases at this stage to seven, all which are being included in the national tally today. All cases are being transferred safely to an Auckland isolation facility, under strict infection prevention and control procedures, including the use of full PPE. In addition, there are three new cases in returnees in managed isolation. The two new community cases, a 21-year-old male and a 19-year-old female, both returned a positive test today (18 August). Both are located in Auckland. Click here to read the full update Kia ora Thank you for all your hard work responding to COVID. We want to touch base with you and ensure that you’ve got the PPE that you need in preparation for any further instances of community transmission and Alert Level changes. Earlier in the year, we provided the sector with contingency supply of PPE. We also updated the Ministry’s Principles of Supply for PPE to include a short blurb on this contingency stock and what it is intended for – see below. “The Ministry has also distributed contingency stock of PPE to providers, so they hold 1-2 weeks of PPE at estimated pandemic usage levels, for use in the event of raised Alert Levels. The benefit of organisations holding and maintaining a contingency supply of PPE is that they have what they need to hand when they need it. We will review holdings regularly and replenish contingency as required. Contingency supply supports the Ministry to make considered decisions for PPE supply, as we get a greater understanding of the scale and spread in situations of community transmission of COVID-19.” Would you be able to review the volume of stock you hold as contingency to determine if you have what you need and provide us with written confirmation. If you don’t have what you need, please let us know by return of email and please place an order for additional PPE via the PPE portal before 20 August 2021. If we do not hear from you by 20 August 2021, we will assume that you hold sufficient PPE to respond in the event of community transmission of COVID-19 and Alert Level changes. Please bear in mind that to access P2/N95 particulate respirators from the Ministry of Health’s centralised supply of PPE in line with the interim guidance for utilising P2/N95s in general practice and urgent care settings, each practice needs to complete fit testing for staff. We’ve developed a declaration form for practices and urgent care to complete, which is attached to this email for easy reference. If you’ve already completed a declaration, please disregard. Ministry of Health Fit Testing Declaration Form Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns regarding your PPE requirements. Ngā mihi COVID-19 Health Supply Chain FW: Latest guidance on COVID-19 testing for the Health Sector: 8 July 2021 – 8 September 20215/8/2021
Kia ora koutou, We have undertaken a further review of our COVID-19 Testing Guidance for the Health Sector and I’m writing to inform you that there is now an updated version of this document on the Ministry’s website, replacing the testing guidance issued on 7 July 2021, to incorporate changes to the advice around testing children. The updated Testing Guidance published for the period 8 July to 8 September can be viewed here. It supersedes the Testing Guidance previously issued on 7 July. The full current advice for the period ending 8 September 2021 is available here. continued...
The emergence, and now the increasing prevalence, of the highly infectious Delta variant of the virus, reinforces the importance of testing to quickly identify and manage any cases of COVID-19 in the community to keep our communities safe. For the period ending 8 September 2021, the primary focus of the Testing Plan is testing at the border. The secondary focus is testing in the community to quickly identify and manage any cases of COVID-19, should it be present. Key messages in the latest update to the Testing Guidance for the Health Sector include:
Over the next six weeks we should continue to focus on: · Testing anyone 12 years and over with symptoms of COVID-19 in all regions. This is particularly important as we are in the middle of winter. Anyone who is symptomatic should be tested as a priority, irrespective of region or other risk criteria.
Testing supplements infection protection and control measures already in place in border settings such as physical distancing, personal protective equipment, physical barriers, daily health checks and symptomatic people staying home. The vaccination roll-out is another key tool we're using to reduce the spread of infection. As our vaccination programme ramps up across New Zealand, we must continue to encourage people to still get tested for COVID-19 if symptomatic or if they are subject to regular testing. This vaccine is highly effective if people have both doses. Studies have shown that about 95% of people who received both doses of the vaccine are protected against getting COVID-19 symptoms, and they are far less likely to fall seriously ill or transmit the virus to others. While the data is clear that vaccines protect people from the effects of COVID-19, research is ongoing to determine whether a vaccinated person could still transmit the virus to someone else – so in the interests of safety we must assume there is still a risk of transmission. Community testing needs to continue to focus on reducing barriers to testing and needs to include non-appointment-based options and ensure testing is equitably available for all those with symptoms. DHB cultural and community liaison roles will have a key role in planning and implementing approaches with our Māori and Pacific communities, health leaders and health providers. Thank you for your continued commitment to keep Aotearoa New Zealand safe from COVID-19. We appreciate all that you and your teams do, and as always welcome your feedback. Ngā mihi nui Darryl Carpenter Group Manager – COVID-19 Testing and Supply Please can you ensure the below update and attachment is distributed out to reach General Practice and Urgent Medical Care facilities and Pharmacies via your communications channels, thank you. Kia ora koutou As you will be aware, the Wellington region moved to Alert Level 2 at 6:00pm on 23 June 2021. The rest of the country remains in Alert Level 1. Alert Level settings will be reviewed on Sunday 27 June 2021. In response the Ministry of Health is prioritising PPE supply to the Greater Wellington region following the Alert Level 2 escalation. Contingency supply provided in March 2021, will be sufficient to cover the immediate response across the health and disability sectors nationwide. continued...
Please visit the Ministry of Health website for information on the Principles of Supply or email any questions about PPE to COVID.HealthSupplyChain@health.govt.nz where they will be referred to the appropriate subject matter expert for response. If you need to make contact with HCL or Onelink regarding PPE, the contact details at HCL for those located outside the Northern Region are email: mohppeordering@prnzl.co.nz or phone 0800 657775. For those located within the Northern Region, Onelink’s contact details, are mohppe@onelink.co.nz or phone 09 815 2612. Thank you for your support and importantly thank you for the work you are doing to help keep New Zealand safe. Ngā mihi nui COVID-19 Health Supply Chain Kia ora koutou,
We are expecting an increased demand for COVID-19 testing after the recent announcement of a positive COVID-19 case who visited Wellington from Sydney from 19 until 21 June 2021. Communications are now being released around locations of interest, all those who have visited a place of interest at the outlined time and date are considered a close contact, and therefore required to stay home and get a test. Accordingly, there will be a surge in demand for COVID-19 testing in the wider Wellington region. Please support our Community Testing Centres by providing COVID-19 testing services to those people who require it. Primary health providers would not be expected to charge for this test or consultation. Primary Health Care workers who provide testing at this time should use the current PHO / DHB contract arrangement for payment. The Ministry of Health has issued a surveillance code to help group together persons requiring a test due to attending a location of interest. Please include the code: SURV-WLG1 on the accompanying lab form. Thank you in advance, although this is pertinent to Wellington, we are informing our wider PHO network in case contact tracing identifies further contacts nationwide. Kia ora koutou Please find attached ‘Interim guidance for the use of P2/N95 particulate respirators by general practice or urgent medical care health providers’. This is an update on the previous interim guidance released on 18 February 2021. The new interim guidance simplifies and clarifies the guidance provided in February following consultation with sector leads and the national IPC TAG group. It will be incorporated into the next update of the Primary Care Quick Reference Guide. Click here for the P2 N95 interim Guidance Ngā mihi Practice Support Team |
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