COVID-19 Level 3 Public Advisory, 19 October 2021

Tuesday, 19 October 2021, 3:14 pm
Press Release: Waikato DHB

Latest update on COVID-19 testing

Today there were seven new cases confirmed in Waikato overnight, six in Te Awamutu and one in Whatawhata. All have links to known cases and Public Health is continuing interviews today.

The region has a total of 52 cases.

Location of COVID-19 cases

Note: one older case which was previously reported as Hamilton has now been moved to Whatawhata.

As not all cases within the current cluster have a permanent address, as investigations progress the Public Health team may change the location against which the case was initially reported.

Investigations are also continuing to determine the links of two cases reported last week and two cases reported on Sunday (17 October).

Pop-up testing sites are operating today in Kihikihi (near Te Awamutu), Te Awamutu Event Centre carpark and at the Te Papa o Rotu Marae in Whatawhata.

The Whatawhata testing site was announced yesterday as public health were investigating information that case had spent time in the area, although no locations of interest have been identified at this time.

We are asking anyone who has flu-like symptoms or who has visited a location of interest at the relevant time or who has had contact with a known case or close contact, to go and get a test.

Pop-up testing continues in Hamilton at Claudelands Event Centre and Te Kōhao Health on Wairere Drive, alongside the ongoing community testing centre at Founders Theatre. Testing in Raglan is now being done at general practices.

Locations of interest in the Waikato can be found on the Ministry of Health website: https://www.health.govt.nz/locationsofinterest.

Total tests taken Monday 18 October: 3,370.

People can also get tested on appointment at GP practices across the region, including designated GP practices that take enrolled and non-enrolled patients. See Healthpoint for a full list of options.

It is important that our testing facilities are available for those priority individuals who meet the criteria for seeking a test at this time. This allows us to rapidly investigate whether there has been any community spread.

Anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms, is following guidance relating to a location of interest or has been directed by Healthline or a GP should seek a test immediately.

Otherwise, people should call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 or their GP for guidance before seeking a test.

It is free to get a COVID-19 test, wherever you go.

COVID-19 testing centres

The availability of community testing centres is based on our assessment of demand and may change daily. Locations for community testing are updated in this advisory, on our website, on Healthpoint and on our Facebook page as soon as they are confirmed for the next day.

Te Awamutu

Te Awamutu Event Centre carpark

Gorst Avenue, Te Awamutu

Tuesday, 11 - 5pm

Kihikihi

Kihikihi Domain

Gate 2 Speedway entrance, Dick Street, Kihikihi

Tuesday 10am - 2pm

Whatawhata

Te Papa o Rotu Marae, 145 Māori Point Road, Whatawhata

Tuesday, 12pm - 3pm

Hamilton

Founders Theatre car park

Entrance off Norton Road

Daily 8am - 4pm

Claudelands Event Centre

Gate 3, Brooklyn Road

Daily 10am - 6pm

Te Kohao Health,

951 Wairere Drive, Hamilton East

Monday - Friday 10am - 4pm

GP practices

General practices across the Waikato are testing patients and designated GPs are testing non-patients also. See Healthpoint for a full list of GPs offering COVID-19 testing or call your GP to check. COVID-19 tests are free. Please ring first to make an appointment.

Latest update on COVID-19 vaccinations

Reporting on vaccination rates is provided at TLA level. This data is as at 2pm, 19 October 2021.

Data at SA2 level (approximately equivalent to suburb) is available on the Ministry of Health website.

Vaccination data

To date (as at 9.13am 19 October), 526,559 COVID-19 vaccinations have been delivered in the Waikato.

• 296,517 first doses have been administered
• 230,042 second doses have been administered
• On Monday 18 October, 2,916 vaccinations were delivered across the Waikato.

Pop-up vaccination sites and vaccination clinics

There are number of pop-up vaccination centres operating across the Waikato this week. Details are at www.waikatodhb.health.nz/covid19mobile.

• Mobile vaccination clinics are rolling out across the takiwā with regular visits to locations through to the end of the year. The schedule is on the Waikato DHB website and will be regularly updated with more dates and locations.
• Also visit the Waikato DHB FB page for up to date mobile vaccination clinic locations.
• In Hamilton and elsewhere in the Waikato, you can get your vaccinations at GPs, pharmacies, mobile sites and at our vaccination centres. There's lots of options, so come along and meet the friendly vaccination teams.
• Walk-in appointments are available at many vaccination sites across the Waikato.
• People can now also bus free to and from their vaccination appointment if they show proof of their booking. See busit.co.nz/vaccination for more details.

© Scoop Media

Waikato District Health Board

Healthy People. Excellent Care

Waikato District Health Board (DHB) employs over 6500 people and plans, funds and provides hospital and health services to more than 391,770 people in a region covering eight per cent of New Zealand.

Contact Waikato District Health Board

• Website - www.waikatodhb.health.nz
• Link - News
• Link - A-Z of Services
• General - Contact Info
• Media Contact - news@waikatodhb.health.nz
• Facebook
• Twitter - @waikatodhb
• Linkedin