Caution urged as Covid arrives

Hospital staff are warning people not to be complacent when it comes to Covid as case numbers across the country become more widespread.

Strict infection control procedures are in place at Wairau Hospital as staff stay vigilant for cases of the highly infectious disease.

And the risk is increasing every day, senior staff warn.

Duty Nurse manager Simon Langford says if people don’t see the virus in the community, they feel the risk is low.

But it’s not a risk staff are willing to take - if the virus got loose in the community, it would be horrible he says.

“People with ordinary illness wouldn’t have got health care.”

That risk is going to increase drastically over the next few months, he says.

As case numbers continued to rise, events in Marlborough fell victim to the virus with many being cancelled.

But a Wairau Hospital manager says wishing for events that never were, while frustrating, is unproductive.

Wairau Hospital Charge Nurse manager ED HDU Richard Sluiter says because Covid isn’t widespread in the region, people feel many events could have gone ahead.

“But if we don’t have our processes in place now – then when?”

Richard highlights the recent Auckland escapees that caused a Covid scare in Blenheim.

“If we weren’t being vigilant, we could have ended up with quite a pocket,” he says.

Richard says procedures such as hip replacements get pushed to the side when the health care system gets overwhelmed.

“Transmission can be very rapid and we have vulnerable people in hospital,” he says.

The hospital is currently operating under mask mandates, strict appointment scheduling and a restricted visitor policy.

Paediatrics secretary Sharron Stace says they’ve had to become much firmer with visiting hours, although they make accommodations for families as much as they can.

She says there has been a surprising benefit from their renewed look at appointments, with patients seeing doctors faster.

“Waiting times are much less – people are only waiting five minutes,” she says.

“It’s more structured.”

She says most visitors to the hospital are following face covering rules.

“We’re doing it for their safety and that of their loved ones,” Sharon says.

Richard says those coming to hospital for treatment will always receive care but may be placed in isolation.

“It depends on why they’re coming to the hospital,” he says.

Richard says the best thing people can do to protect the community is to get vaccinated.

“In essence, it reduces the severity of the illness.

“It stops you being admitted to hospital and it will help prevent long Covid.

He says a significant number of people are having long periods of convalescence in the United Kingdom.

“It’s a well-known and significant problem,” he says.

“If we see a large number of cases, there will be significant effects – especially for the unvaccinated.”

The Nelson Marlborough DHB is at 91 per cent partially vaccinated and 84 per cent fully vaccinated.

Richard says the people of Marlborough should be applauded for getting behind it.