COVID-19 symptoms
Symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to a range of other illnesses such as cold and flu. Shortness of breath is a sign of possible pneumonia and requires immediate medical attention.
Symptoms of COVID-19 include:
- a cough
- a high temperature (at least 38°C)
- shortness of breath
- sore throat
- sneezing and runny nose
- temporary loss of smell.
Having any of these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have COVID-19, but if you are feeling unwell and have been to one of the locations of interest please self-isolate and get tested straight away even if you have a sniffle or a slight sore throat. It is best to be on the safe side. Stay at home until you have been well for at least 48 hours and your test is negative.
Getting tested for COVID-19
Taranaki DHB has four community-based locations in the Taranaki (New Plymouth, Waitara, Hāwera and Ōpunakē) for COVID-19 testing.
If you are feeling unwell and experiencing symptoms relating to COVID-19 you can get advice and arrange testing through the following options:
- Call your family GP or medical centre. If you’ve been referred to the testing clinics from your doctor/GP please go home and wait for clinic staff to contact you with a test appointment time. We ask you not to show up without an appointment, as this will help us manage the waiting times better.
- Or you can call your local COVID-19 testing clinic in New Plymouth, Waitara, Ōpunakē or Hāwera (details below).
For Māori health support and information on testing please contact:
COVID-19 testing clinics
Please call or text the testing clinics first. If you’ve been referred to the testing clinics from your doctor/GP please go home and wait for clinic staff to contact you with a test appointment time. We ask you not to show up without an appointment, as this will help us manage the waiting times better. There is NO CHARGE for testing; it is FREE.
Please note, the testing clinics are only for COVID-19 swab testing and do not provide any other medical treatment, including influenza vaccinations. You need to contact your general practice, doctor or pharmacy for this.
Taranaki Base Hospital,
New Plymouth
(Access to testing clinic off Tukapa Street)
Phone:
Please call in advance: 0800 678 378
Hours:
Monday to Friday 9am-3pm. Saturday and Sunday 9am-1pm. (Hours will be flexible depending on demand).
There is NO CHARGE for testing; it is FREE.
MediCross Urgent Care & GP Clinic, Egmont Street, New Plymouth
Phone:
Please call to book an appointment: (06) 759 8915
Hours:
Medicross is open 8am-8pm, but testing hours are between 10am-4pm, 7 days a week. E-referral will be operational soon.
There is NO CHARGE for testing; it is FREE.
Hāwera Hospital, Hunter Street, Hāwera
Phone:
Please call 0800 678 378 and discuss your needs with the testing team and they will arrange an appropriate time for you to come in, or find a solution for testing if you cannot access one of the clinics. There is NO CHARGE for testing; it is FREE.
Hours:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10am-2pm. However 7 day a week testing can be arranged. (Hours will be flexible depending on demand).
There is NO CHARGE for testing; it is FREE.
Waitara Health Centre,
26 Grey Street, Waitara
Phone:
Please call in advance (06) 754 8119
Hours:
Monday to Friday, 8.30am - 5.30pm
There is NO CHARGE for testing; it is FREE.
Ōpunakē Health Centre/Coastal Care,
26 Napier Street,
Ōpunakē
Phone:
Please call in advance (06) 761 7324
Hours:
Monday to Friday, 8.30am - 4.30pm
There is NO CHARGE for testing; it is FREE.
Patients/visitors
UPDATED: 9 July 2021
Due to high levels of winter illnesses like RSV, colds and viruses we have restricted hospital visitors.
Temporary changes are:
- no children under the age of 16 to visit patients in hospital
- general hospital visits are restricted to one person per patient (except for Maternity and the Children’s Ward)
If you are feeling unwell please don’t visit
We encourage all visitors coming into our hospitals and health centres to continue using the QR code for tracing purposes and recommend people keep a safe distance from people you don’t know while on our premises, use face coverings if it makes you feel more comfortable, use hand sanitizer on entry, practise cough or sneeze etiquette, and please stay at home if you are unwell.
To ensure our patients have the opportunity to get well, and care is able to be provided by our clinicians, we strictly adhere to our visiting hours found below. Visiting outside of these hours is not permitted unless by prior arrangement with nursing staff.
Please do not come in for appointments and to visit patients if you are unwell or have been unwell or have had a stomach bug in the last two days.
We encourage patients to bring in their cell phones to keep in touch with families.
General inquiry calls are not put through to the wards.
Please download the NZ COVID-19 tracer app so you can use the QR Codes when coming into our hospitals and other health centres. This will help you keep a record of when you’ve visited our sites.
While it is great for everyone to be able to visit those in hospital we need to remember that patients in our care need time for rest and recovery.
WARD 2A, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B
Monday to Sunday: 2pm - 8pm
CHILDREN’S WARD (WARD 2B)
Open visiting for immediate family/caregiver only
General visiting: 2pm - 8pm
MENTAL HEALTH
Monday to Friday: 3pm - 8pm
Saturday to Sunday: 10am - 8pm
INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
Open visiting for immediate family only
However no visiting between 12pm - 2pm
SEXUAL HEALTH CLINIC
Phone 0508 SEX HEALTH (0508 739 432), 188 Powderham Street New Plymouth
Monday: 6pm - 8pm
Tuesday & Friday: 9am - 12pm
TE RANGIMARIE HOSPICE
5 David Street
Open visiting for families, general visiting 10am - 7pm daily
Bluetooth upgrade to NZ COVID Tracer app
NZ COVID Tracer will update automatically on around 10 December for most users, or it can be manually updated through the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store at that time. Bluetooth tracing will be turned off by default, but app users will be asked if they want to enable it when they next open the app.
Click here for Bluetooth tracing FAQs
What is Taranaki DHB doing to manage COVID-19?
- Taranaki DHB continues to work closely with the Ministry of Health, local government agencies and community healthcare providers to ensure we are prepared for suspected and confirmed cases and to ensure urgent health care can still be provided.
- Representatives from hospital and community services, public health, primary health (GPs) and aged care facilities are keeping in regular contact to ensure we are prepared to escalate a Coordinated Incident Management Structure (CIMS).
- Staff have been trained on how to manage patients with COVID-19, and we have robust protocols and health pathways in place to address any COVID-19 cases or other infectious respiratory diseases.
- We have the right personal protective equipment (PPE) required for staff and they are aware of the correct procedures in dealing with COVID-19.
- Services have detailed plans and patient flow processes in place.
- We’re keeping the public and our stakeholders, up-to-date with any changes to local services via direct email, media releases, our website and Facebook and Instagram pages.
- We’re providing the opportunity for stakeholders and the public to ask questions specific about COVID-19 in Taranaki by emailing TDHBCovid.Enquiries@tdhb.org.nz