COVID-19

To find out about COVID-19 symptoms, testing, isolation, vaccines, antiviral medicine, masks and long covid, go to COVID-19 | Health Information and Services

Visiting our hospitals

  • Please visit during our visiting hours (2-8pm for wards; for a full list click here)
  • Please don’t visit if you’re feeling unwell. Patients have access to free Wi-Fi thanks to PRIMO; stay at home and connect with your loved ones in hospital via technology if you can.
  • Got an appointment but you’re feeling unwell? Please call to reschedule for when you’re feeling better.
  • All visitors are encouraged to sanitise your hands and wear a face mask when in our buildings.
  • Entrances to Taranaki Base Hospital main building are available at:
    • The main entrance by the Emergency Department
    • The red path entrance from the main car park (accessed via Lyn Street)
    • Tukapa Street entrance (by Oncology)
    • The Maternity entrance (accessed via David Street)
  • See the Taranaki Base Hospital map to locate these entrances.
  • For information on where to get immunised (antenatal [pregnancy], childhood and more) in Taranaki, click here.
  • To find out about COVID-19 symptoms, testing, isolation, masks and what to do if you test positive, go to COVID-19 | Health Information and Services

Health and wellbeing support

Living under the threat of a global pandemic affects us all in different ways. While the risk to people in New Zealand is currently considered low, we all need a bit of support from time-to-time.

If you or someone you know is struggling, free call or text 1737 any time, 24 hours a day for support from a trained counsellor.
You can also call Lifeline on 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357.

You can also find other great places to get support listed below.

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National helplines

Healthline – 0800 611 116
0800 Hey Bro – 0800 439 276 – this number is setup for men who feel they're going to harm a loved one or whānau member.
Suicide Crisis Helpline – 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO).
Samaritans – 0800 726 666
Depression Helpline – 0800 111 757 or free text 4202 (to talk to a trained counsellor about how you’re feeling or to ask any questions). Includes specific support for COVID-19. Also see the Small Steps Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SmallStepsNZ/
Anxiety Helpline – 0800 269 4389 (0800 ANXIETY) provides free national 24/7 support, information, and advice about managing anxiety and stress, including taking callers through breathing and relaxation techniques, and supports callers to learn and practice anxiety management skills.
OUTLine NZ – 0800 688 5463 (0800 OUTLINE) provides confidential telephone support for people in the LGBTQIA+ community, available evenings from 6pm–9pm.
Mental Health Foundation – visit the website for a range of up-to-date resources, including:

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Self-help tools

Melon is an app with a health journal, resources and self-awareness tools to help you manage your emotional wellbeing. You can also join their online community to connect with and support others, and watch daily webinars about health and wellbeing.
Mentemia is an app that you can use to monitor, manage and improve your mental wellbeing by setting daily goals and tracking your progress.
Staying on Track is an e-therapy course that teaches you practical strategies to cope with the stress and disruption of day-to-day life (Just a Thought).
Working through depression is a personalised online programme that focuses on positivity, lifestyle changes and problem solving (The Journal at Depression.org.nz).
Working through problems with Aunty Dee is a tool to work through problems, generate ideas and find a solution (Le Va).
Whakatau Mai | The Wellbeing Sessions are free, virtual community events aimed at supporting wellbeing in real-time – to help you connect you with others, learn and practice new skills, and start looking at things differently.

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Māori health support and information

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Websites, e-therapy tools and helplines for children and young people

Learn more about mental health issues (Mental Wealth).
SPARX.org.nz – an online e-therapy tool from the University of Auckland that helps young people learn skills to deal with feeling down, depressed or stressed.
Recognising and understanding depression and anxiety thelowdown.co.nz – or email team@thelowdown.co.nz or free text 5626
Aroha is a chatbot that uses Facebook Messenger and is designed to help young people cope with stress at this time. It provides practical, evidence-based tools to manage stress, maintain social connection and stay active and well through youth-friendly digital activities.
Youthline’s web chat, where young people can talk one-to-one with a real person.
Youthline – Free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz
Melon Health has a range of online resources specifically for young people.
Kidsline – 0800 543 754 (0800 kidsline) for young people up to 18 years of age. Open 24/7.
Bounce is a youth-led project developed by New Zealand Red Cross for young people and by young people with tips, ideas and inspiration to help you live life well.
RainbowYOUTH provides free 1:1 peer support for LGBTI+ young people, their friends and whānau. Information and guidance about everything to do with gender, sexuality, and being queer and trans.

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Support for frontline health care professionals and care workers

Health care professionals and care workers can access a confidential service by calling 0800 820 080 to make an appointment with an experienced therapist.

Our position statement on COVID-19 vaccination

As a country we have made significant changes to our day-to-day life since the COVID-19 virus emerged. The availability of vaccine and a high proportion of our population fully vaccinated means we can have a world where the presence of the virus does not mean the level of disruptions we have experienced to date.

Vaccination is a crucial part of the New Zealand public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is through successful vaccination programmes that many infectious diseases have been eliminated and severity reduced, COVID-19 is no different.

Our priority is to make sure everyone in Taranaki aged 5 years and over has free, fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. To achieve this, we continue to collaborate with our health providers, our doctors, pharmacies and hauora providers to deliver an equitable and effective vaccination programme to our community.

Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora in Taranaki provides essential services during each alert level and we encourage all our employees, contractors and other partners to protect themselves, their patients and the wider community by getting their COVID-19 vaccination. All Health NZ employees have an ethical and professional obligation to protect and promote the health of patients and the public, and to participate in community health efforts.

We strongly recommend that all eligible members of our Taranaki community take up the opportunity to be vaccinated so that life in our region can benefit from a fully vaccinated population. As a region that has strong trade links to both the Waikato and Auckland our Taranaki business community welcomes those from out of our region to visit every day, as well as friends and whānau across the country who also love to visit - for this to continue, everyone is encouraged to support our 90%+ vaccination drive to get our community protected.

Last reviewed: Monday, March 4, 2024

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