This page contains information for health professionals. For information for the general public, please click here.

Regional Public Health (RPH) along with the Ministry of Health is closely monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19. For up-to-date information on COVID-19, check the Ministry of Health website.

• Consider novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in patients with fever or history of fever, AND cough, shortness of breath or sore throat who travelled overseas OR have close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 within 14 days before onset of illness in any country. See the latest case definition for more information

• Ensure patient and supporting whānau are given masks immediately on suspicion at your practice

• Notify the Medical Officer of Health on suspicion of a notifiable disease, as per normal processes using the Coronavirus case report form.

Information for health professionals

Ministry of Health links:

• Case definition of COVID-19 infection - Updated 1 April 2020
• Advice for health professionals (PDF, 383 KB) Updated 30 March 2020
• Primary care quick reference guide (PDF, 200 KB) Updated 21 March 2020
• Primary care triage checklist form (pdf, 102 KB) Updated 21 March
• MoH Questions and answers for primary health care workers – Updated 22 March 2020
• Managing suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19 in primary care – Interim infection prevention and control guidelines (PDF, 112 KB) Updated 21 March 2020
  
• Information for Aged Care Providers
• Information in other languages

Regional Public Health information:

• Health Practitioner notice of COVID-19
• Primary care: Testing for suspected COVID-19 - 9 March
  
• Regional Public Health (RPH) public health alerts
  

Isolation/home care information

• Self-isolation information
• Caring for yourself and others who may have COVID-19 at home
• Interim guidance for health staff implementing home care of people not requiring hospitalisation for COVID-19 (PDF, 143 KB) - Updated 23 March 2020

PPE resources

• Donning and doffing PPE - 9 March 2020 (CCDHB)
• PPE N95 donning and doffing (CCDHB Vimeo)
• Donning Doffing PPE Mask Visor (CCDHB Vimeo)
• NEJM Procedure: Collection of Nasopharyngeal Specimens with the Swab Technique - New England Journal of Medicine (Youtube)
• Personal protective equipment use in health care (MoH link)

Factsheets

• New Zealand Government Factsheet - 17 February
• New Zealand Government Factsheet - Chinese - 17 February

Resources

For general practices

For aged residential care

For community organisations

National resources

New Zealand border health advice cards

• Other languages can be found on the Ministry of Health website.

WHO resources

Useful links

• Safe Travel - information for New Zealanders planning overseas travel
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Ministry of Education: Information for the education sector, and parents, caregivers and whānau of learners
• New Zealand Government website Cross-agency information about novel coronavirus (COVID-19) including health advice, travel restrictions and education-related information for students and parents.