Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group ready to step up again if needed

Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group is ready to step up if COVID-19 again reaches our region.
 
Group Manager Ian Macdonald said the group had plans in place in case Hawke’s Bay moves into stricter alert levels.
 
“Everyone is no doubt aware of last night’s news that Auckland moved into Alert Level 3 and the rest of the country back to Alert Level 2 at midday today, for three days,” Mr Macdonald said.
 
“While we had all hoped not to find ourselves in this position again, we have been planning and preparing for more cases of COVID-19 on a regional and national level.
 
“We are again planning to provide emergency welfare services if the situation escalates, to support people who might need urgent help to access food, medication or other household goods and services. At this stage, we’re not standing up our group contact centre to provide emergency welfare support in Alert Level 2, but we’re getting everything in order in case this changes.”
 
Mr Macdonald said the group was well placed to stand up again if necessary.
 
“Back in April, we very quickly set up a regional emergency welfare line, to meet the immediate basic needs of people until other services and support could step in,” Mr Macdonald said.
 
“We also worked in close partnership with the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board, Police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, ambulance, local councils, partner agencies, utility operators, and welfare organisations, to make sure no one was left without the necessities during the response.
 
“Now, with the benefit of the lessons we learnt during our last response and the time to plan and refine our systems, we’re ready to stand up again if we need to.”
 
Mr Macdonald said everyone had a part to play in keeping COVID-19 at bay.
 
“Practise good hygiene, keep track of where you’ve been, and stay home if you’re sick,” he said.
 
“If we all do this, we have a much better chance of stamping out flare-ups to avoid the risk of wider outbreak.”

What you need to know

Alert Level 2 is not life as normal. You can still go to work and school, but you should:

• keep your distance from other people in public
• wash your hands
• sneeze and cough into your elbow
• keep a track of where you’ve been and who you’ve seen
• wear a mask if you can.

Protect yourself and others from COVID-19
 
People at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 are encouraged to take additional precautions when leaving home.
 
Get tested for COVID-19 if you have cold or flu symptoms. Tests are free

Businesses

Businesses can open to the public if they are following public health guidance, which includes physical distancing and record keeping.

Gatherings

No more than 100 people at gatherings, including weddings, birthdays, funerals and tangihanga.

If you're unwell

• If you’re sick, stay home. Don’t go to work or school. Don’t socialise.
• If you have symptoms of cold or flu call your doctor or Healthline and get advice about being tested.
• If you have been told to self-isolate you must do so immediately. 

For everything you need to know about the New Zealand response to COVID-19, visit covid.govt.nz 

12 August 2020

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